A new survey of NFL players from 1988 explores their overall health as they near retirement age. By several measures, former players were significantly more likely than men their age to report experiencing pain and mental health issues. View the entire survey Read the questions from the ESPN/KFF Survey of 1988 NFL Players and see how respondents answered in KFF's report. Said another player: "Football has been a blessing to me, but it has also been a curse in the long run. For example, 37% of Black former players reported that they were unable to work because of a football-related disability, compared with 19% of white players.