Dave Pear Is Banged Up

One of the great players of the Buccaneers' early days, NT Dave Pear, is adding his voice to the growing support for added benefits to retired players who were injured while playing football. The problem is that the NFL doesn't acknowledge that their injuries were caused by football. Pear himself has had seven spinal surgeries. Seven!

"I had a choice," he said. "I chose to play the game. I loved the game. But the day I got hurt, the game turned on me. If you play the game, you will get hurt."

The particular organization Pear addressed on Monday is the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which aids reired players who need help paying medical bills. Recognizable names like Daryl Johnston and Conrad Dobler were also in attendance and told their stories. The worst one, though, is Brian DeMarco, a former offensive lineman for Jacksonville. Man, this sucks...

DeMarco, who played on the offensive line for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals, had his back fractured in 17 places. Both elbows have been shattered.

His NFL medical coverage lapsed three years after he retired. He and his wife and their two children have at times been forced to live in a public storage facility.

But, hey, at least Brady Quinn squeezed another couple million out of the Browns before he signed. Seriously, no jokes here. This is awful.