Disposable Heroes: The Other Side of Football - HBO 1985

[@MrBriancall1]

What is amazing about Jim Otto, is with all of his health issues, he lived to be 86. He was a strong man with great heart and will.

[@thewkovacs316]

he was lucky stillwell passed when he was 54

[@SlugCult718]

RIP - May 2024.

[@SlugCult718]

​@@thewkovacs316Really? Damn, I didn't hear that. That's sad.

[@oscarl.ramirez7355]

I like football and enjoy the sport but truth be told it is a Violent Sport that takes a toll on the Players.

[@genociderjill]

He's one of the greatest

[@josephanderson7237]

Saddest of all is when the game comes back years later to take their minds.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

A lot of people who never played sports get dementia/Alzheimer's in their 70's and even late 60's.

[@houzhi1]

I remember watching this in high school in 1985, heartbreaking and sobering still to this day 40 years later. God bless these warriors..

[@bayousmackerdixford3389]

Ya damn right but .....we all do it play again i know these men these athletes would do exactly the same!!!

[@TheIsagregorio]

I was in the Air Force. It was a sad commentary and showed the real side of professional sports.

[@mattc9412]

Really?! Thats amazing. Not to mention it's every bit as valid today as back then. Only difference is the money they make can be generational wealth today but terrific documentary.

[@theksggek]

I’ve tried to find this documentary for the longest time but just stumbled across it. Had to be 1985 when I last saw it. Watching Otto get out of bed has always stayed with me. These guys were treated so poorly. People comment about the money players make. Well, they’re gonna need it. Glad I found this again.

[@josephanderson7237]

To be fair the warriors were the men and women who served in Nam during the 70s.

[@coachflow9120]

Jim Otto lived until age 86 and got to be Jim Otto. What a warrior. What a MAN.

[@Meemeeseecoo]

Watching this in 2024, damn near 40 years later and Jim Otto just passed away at 86 which is impressive he lived that long.

[@Nhamp2000]

True that. He didn't have a lot of his original body parts after he quit playing.

[@jjgreen5206]

Very impressive. Maybe the dedication to physical fitness outweighs the minimal destructive effects

[@thekingofkush4447]

Crazy as I was going to google this same question so thank you so much for letting me not do a thing!!! 🍻🥂

[@MrDlt123]

My uncle played in NFL for 7 years(1978 - 1984), back when it didnt pay like it does today. After a long string of knee and back surgeries, and crippling disability, he has never wavered in saying that he wished he'd never touched a football in his life.

[@mrbcds9108]

Quite remarkable that Jim Otto remained with us until just a few months ago. A true iron man.

[@p.j._staten]

RIP Roger Stillwell and Jim Otto

[@dangelo1369]

RIP Jack Squirek (1959-2024)

[@alspencer3826]

I remember seeing a program on hbo many years ago, it air even before this program, it was called "Where are they now". If I'm not mistaken it aired in 1981. The piece that always stuck in my mind was the clip with Jim Otto. It showed him leaning against the wall in his boxer shorts. You can see his knees, mangled from who knows how many knee operations, with scars all over them. He's in agony just trying to put his pants on, that scene never left me, and all these years, no decades later I still remember it!

[@erickthefantabulous1]

Thanks for posting this. Somehow, I never saw it.Didn't have HBO in 1985, but that was the first year we got cable

[@chrispaul7849]

I recall all these guys from my youth... Had never seen this before and watch tons of docs... just beyond sad to see esp Roger not even able to get a job after being a Stanford student... Really well made 39 years ago.... Mike Webster's story, if you can find it in print in great American sports short stories, is unreal. Thanks for UL this.

[@tonyrobinson8050]

The sad thing about this documentary is that these guys paved the way for today's NFL athletes who are now earning generational wealth because of these warriors going on strike in 1982 & 1987. They now also have better nutritional programs and concussion protocols. They have better training programs and wear padded helmets during practices. But the best thing that these disposable heroes can now count on is a monthly NFL pension, which was put in place with one of the prior NFL collective bargaining agreements.

[@cprealone]

Another sad part is this generation of players have no idea of the history of the games, players, sacrifices these men made and they continue to disrespect players of the past, imo its sickening

[@GoodOlKAgang]

​@@cprealoneagreed 💯

[@jamiecrawford8133]

Any idea how much their pension is? And how many years they have to play to qualify for it?

[@GoodOlKAgang]

@@jamiecrawford8133 I read O.J Simpson was getting 250,000 per year from the N.F.L pension..... What made this sickening was the fact the Goldman's couldn't touch it!!??😡😡😡😡

[@williamwald9282]

All that while you have all these old guys sayin how soft today’s players are and it’s not a man’s game. It’s one extreme to another

[@bigsquat]

This was a classic that never got as much attention as it probably would today after the concussion issues, etc. Thanks for posting, brought back lots of memories

[@Tjhistorian12]

Very eye opening documentary. The reality of football is that the game is not worth playing if you care about your health. Football will ruing your body and mind regardless of the positives like discipline and respect. In the end, if a man decides to play football, he knows the consequences and is willing to accept them.

[@jayramsey690]

And it seems like most NFL players leave the league just about broke (definitely not set for life).

[@jamiecrawford8133]

It sure wasn't worth it back in those days. Dak Prescott making 60 million dollars per year now seems like a bit better deal.

[@TayDays1128]

this is such a loser mindset to accept that football will ruin your body and mind. That is not predetermined & it doesnt happen to the majority of players.

[@brianmeen2158]

Who would have thought that huge guys running at full sprint and smashing into each other for years in end would be hard on your body..?

[@BjornJohansen-cm1sb]

All players accept the consequences

[@music4dages]

When I was in the 8th grade in the Bay Area, Jim Otto came to our middle school to talk about football. He brought some game films, which we watched and then he answered some questions. What I remember about that day was the car he drove, which was a Ferrari, and I thought how could such a huge guy fit into such a small car. He struck me as a nice man.

[@poindextertunes]

he couldn’t have been doing too bad if he was driving a Ferrari

[@isaacshaver6218]

God, vintage Hbo programming is so good. When I told the misses we needed to get the HBOMax, I told her, I could watch an HBO documentary about dam near anything. I learned so much from watching late weekends & summer nights growing up.

[@jeffwhisenhunt929]

You would be surprised how little of the older documentaries are actually on there. Some of the new ones are good but not all of them. Mostly crime documentaries.

[@JasonRoggasch]

I remember Harris Barton T 49ers said every play is like a car crash and then you get 30 seconds to recover then another car crash and 30 seconds to recover over and over again

[@maxv3208]

That's an exaggeration. Dana White also said getting hit by Francis Ngannou is the same as getting hit by a Ford Escort at 40 miles per hour. 😂

[@thedonofthsht76-58]

This is why people should have respect for these guys. Given their lives for our entertainment

[@jbock622]

Was it really worth it? That’s what I would ask them

[@thedonofthsht76-58]

@jbock622 most of these guys that are in terrible shape today say they still wouldn't trade it for the world. They did what they loved I guess

[@1USACitizen192]

Only morons play football.

[@Sunsn7]

Fitting how they showed Joe Theismann who would later go on to retire due to one of the most vicious injuries in sports history, vs. the Giants on MNF where Lawrence Taylor fell on his lower leg snapping it in half. Can still remember watching that game with my Dad and how everything on the field stopped. First time I'd seen a severe injury watching sports

[@zplapplap]

I winced just reading your comment. I’ll never forget watching that game. Who didn’t watch Monday Night Football? I was ten years old. Brutal. 😫

[@Sunsn7]

@@zplapplap I was about 10 yrs old as well when that game and injury happened. Those were the Golden years of MNF.

[@poindextertunes]

the bone sticking out was pretty gnarly

[@michaelphillpott4884]

Theismann also broke his leg years earlier while playing in the Canadian Football League.

[@jamiecrawford8133]

That Tatum vs Campbell head to head at the goal line, one of the hardest collisions in football history.

[@BjornJohansen-cm1sb]

Watched that game live I was a rabid Raiders fan

[@user-ut4ri8bs9s]

But it was Earl who got up first! 👍

[@TallChief42]

Played in high school, division 1 college and now defunct professional league. Operations on both knees, both shoulders, left foot and have herniated discs in my neck and back. But would play again right now if I could.

[@hint0122]

Fair, but would you want your children to?

[@TallChief42]

@hint0122 They did. I explained the injury risks to them. Oldest eas like talking to a wall. Said he would deal with it. Youngest thought about it but both of them were locked in since they were in elementary school.

[@crawford371]

RIP Jim Otto

[@williamdiemert9866]

Jim Otto Jr is now a Pastor in Idaho

[@emmettlewis2312]

He's in Heaven now

[@ericwiliiams9540]

@@emmettlewis2312 Sr., not Jr.

[@Rambam1776]

What a complete waste of time

[@vincentcurley946]

I always like the way Peter Coyote narrates these documentaries. Very recognizable voice.

[@80sFootballCards]

He's awesome and still doing them today!

[@faridaltaqi9925]

Absolutely. Yes & Agreed.

[@dingoduh]

Football was my first love; it gave me everything in my youth. I gave football everything. I am still recovering from injuries 30 years later. I would not change anything.

[@bayousmackerdixford3389]

😊 💯 💯

[@jamesnadell1998]

That's what I find mind boggling. Almost all say they would do it again. But it's the relationships, not the games they remember most.

[@michaelconti5787]

Antwaan Randle El, who played for the Steelers, and other NFL teams has stated that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn’t have played football. He would’ve played baseball. As one football player was quoted, “There’s nothing tough about sipping food through a straw.” Eric LeGrand played college football for Rutgers and is now a quadriplegic. I don’t see LeGrand saying what you’re saying……..Nothing is worth losing your ability to walk. I will say that sports give people a chance to make friends, socialize, and learn life lessons. It helps keep them off the streets and out of jail. I’m also aware that there is risk in everything but the game needs to be made safer. The NFL doesn’t exactly care for the players and their safety. That’s why you had that concussion lawsuit. There’re players who I feel try to end careers. That’s how it looked when Ryan Clark put that dirty hit on Willis McGahee.

[@dingoduh]

@@michaelconti5787 My experience is mine. My experience is not augmented by someone else's experience; that is socialism. I do not subscribe. I am my own person and am able to make own conclusions about myself. You do not see other people saying what I am saying, because they are not me. Take that weak socialist sauce and your own bread in it and eat it; I pass.

[@bertmustin]

@@michaelconti5787 No guarantee he would have been good enough to make the majors.

[@bdflatlander]

I remember watching this many years ago. Glad I ran across it again on KZbin. To me, who last played in a football game at age 14 (YMCA Flag Football), I question if the suffering these men go through after their NFL careers are over is worth it. Add to all this the fact that 80% of former NFL players are in some kind of financial difficulty within 5 years after their playing days are over. And….it’s just the nature of the game: big, strong, fast and well conditioned men slamming into each other with great physical force. The human body, no matter how well conditioned, was not designed to take that kind of repeated punishment If I had a teenage son who wanted to play football I don’t know in good conscience if I could allow him to do it, knowing the risk of permanent and severe physical damage he might experience. And now CTE is another serious concern.

[@jamiecrawford8133]

With the kind of money players in that era made I would say it was not worth it.

[@Falconcat63]

@@jamiecrawford8133 Physical and mental pain are not worth it at any price.

[@Dinan5iver2]

I refused to allow my son to play. I don't regret it, and he doesn't miss it.

[@bdflatlander]

@@Dinan5iver2 : IMO you made the right decision.

[@warrenpeece1726]

I remember John Madden saying once that playing one game of NFL football would change your body forever. And not for the better.

[@elijahjames8837]

I miss that kind of honesty from a TV personality

[@wewin03]

The NFL would never license its footage for content like this today.

[@vollste]

I played football middle thru HS (‘79-‘84) started about 75% of the games I played in playing both ways also. I was VERY fortunate to not have any serious injuries along the way.

[@Godhelpus803]

Jim Otto played over 200 consecutive games at the highest level. When you hear the long list of injuries you realize the man was playing with serious injuries for a lot of those games.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

A big reason careers don't usually last more than 4-5 seasons is because most guys just can't play through lots of pain, and coaches and GMs end up not supporting the guys who can't/won't stay on the field with nagging injuries and pain. Nowadays, teams do make more allowances for the most talented players taking time off for recovery, but the less distinguished players are still faces with the dilemma of whether they should continue playing or take time off and risk a demotion or being cut/not resigned.

[@TuckFrump-r9h]

I grew up among the Dallas Cowboys players of the 1970s. Many of these guys were smart enough to prepare for their working life beyond football, and quite a few were very successful. It might be that the Cowboys of that era attracted and sought out that type of player. Roger Staubach, Bob Breunig and others went into real estate; Chuck Howley created a chain of dry cleaning stores and eventually went into work uniforms; Drew Pearson sold hats; LeRoy Jordan had a lumber company; Cliff Harris went into the petroleum business (Cliff by the way has degrees in math and physics). These guys were not just football players and they emerged from their college years with solid critical thinking skills, though they might have been the last for whom college was more than just football. If you cannot become an adult with at least a few different intellectual interests, athlete or not, your middle age years and later are likely to be sad.

[@BjornJohansen-cm1sb]

Not always, life is a journey

[@bookmark7859]

Maybe Cliff Harris can calculate (with his math and physics degrees) just how quantifiably thumped he was into the Orange Bowl turf by #58 Lambert.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

70's era players were definitely smarter than players of future decades. Nowadays some players are barely literate doofuses.

[@HolyDiverBronco]

Otto lived to be 86....that, is impressive....i just checked and was shocked he lived that long....a true legend as well......awesome.

[@judebarnes9209]

Wow! What a great NFL film. Jim Otto died just a few months ago in May 2024, he lived to 86 years old, not too bad with all of the punishment his body took. Stillwell coached HSFB for many years in the 80s but had to step away early and eventually died at age 54 in 2006. Anyone know the details of his death ? Very sad.

[@Xconn67]

I read a few articles, from what’s said and especially what’s not said , suicide a strong possibility

[@Dinan5iver2]

Someone upthread said that he passed from renal failure due largely to pain meds.

[@virgiljones4808]

Football in general has done a good job with cleaning up the game to reduce the wear and tear on bodies. It was scary to see how much play there was in Jim's knee when he was at the doctors office - poor guy had no ACL!!!! Can you imagine the back and forth grinding. I played at a major college and destroyed my knee - had 7 surgeries and would still do it all over again!! Football is one hell of a drug!

[@peterstaklis3712]

While some areas of NFL football have been changed to protect players (less helmet to helmet, QB protections, outlawing the horse collar, focus on getting concussed players off the field) football is still an ultra violent sport that will take a toll on anyone that plays it. Just watch a running back get blasted multiple times on each carry. Or a wide receiver try to make a sideline catch and get concussed because his helmet hit the turf/cement (Giants/Cowboys game last week). I love football like anyone else in America but the brutal side of it is still real. Glad the compensation is better for those that play longer than a few years.

[@broncobilly4029]

I was in 8th grade when this came out. I played in college. Now i'm 53 and I've had a hip replacement and a spinal fusion surgery. I have consistent pain. Swimming has helped. Football is much safer now. The conditioning, awareness, protocols, coaching, equipment, etc. are all better. The chance of unnecessary chronic lifelong injuries are much less now. There are many benefits from football. Years ago, we sent our boys to the military to become men. Now football serves that purpose for many kids. It's not he only good sport. There are a lot of them, but it's a great one.

[@thewkovacs316]

you are right, but cte is still a risk are you saying that if boys play other competitive sport, they wont become men?

[@broncobilly4029]

@@thewkovacs316 No. There are other good sports (e.g., wrestling & boxing) that require courage (when you’re afraid, but you go anyway). Some say FB doesn’t build courage, it reveals it. Regardless, you need it to play. I have 3 daughters who play soccer. It’s a good sport, but I don’t see a lot of courage on the soccer field. Here is a clip of a FB drill that demonstrates what I’m talking about. No, I’m not as worried about CTE, because of the improvements I’ve called out earlier. You can get concussion heading a soccer ball too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYjRZ2uVobGFfLc

[@bdflatlander]

@@broncobilly4029 : I have some serious mixed feelings about football. I only played the game up through age 14 in YMCA Flag Football but I do suffer from arthritis in my left shoulder as a senior citizen from a hit I took in a YMCA game. I enjoy watching football games but whenever I see a player who is taken out of a game after he suffers an injury it makes me concerned for how badly he is hurt and how it will affect him for the rest of his life. Add to that the CTE issue for which there doesn’t appear to be any solution. If I had a teenage son who wanted to play high school football I don’t know if I would want him to do that out of concern for his long term health, especially his mental health. The stories of Junior Seau and Mike Webster who both died as a direct result of CTE are very tragic and these two men sound like they suffered greatly as did their families.

[@daveharper7184]

I would say it’s slightly safer now but still very dangerous.

[@joshuabennett8110]

Disposable Heroes.....great song by MetallicA.

[@jodycarrithers6160]

This is a really eye-opening documentary. It's true, as a fan, especially one who's never even played football, like me, we have no idea what it's REALLY like for these guys. Also, it helped to make sense of and understand the high salaries these NFL players get. If you only have 4 to 8 years of playing and you're "retired" at the young age of 34, saddled with lifelong injuries, you need to have a way to support yourself and your family, perhaps indefinitely. I'd think the most important thing these young men should learn right away is long-term money management. You might get paid millions but you may be needing to live the entire rest of your life and your families life on that money. Don't live too large while it's happening would probably be good advice. Lifelong medical expenses are also enormous, even with health insurance. I'm not sure whether I believe it's worth it when its all said and done. But, I was never a football player or an athlete, so who am I to make such a statement? Take care of yourselves, all you young and talented athletes!

[@Redmenace96]

Anyone impressed by the communication, self-awareness, and intelligence of Jim Otto- off the field? He was a HOF from top to bottom, on the field and off. Greatest Center, all-time?

[@jamiecrawford8133]

Yes he very articulately told the story of his injuries.

[@poindextertunes]

im not tbh. most football players are extremely smart despite some folks seeing them as only big strong dumb oafs

[@bertmustin]

It feels like Roger Stillwell never got the mental health he needed.

[@rustykuntz94]

Very sad & frightening how a good man & great football player with a wife & kid like Roger Stillwell could be barely 30 & nearly crippled, unable to properly support his family. SO many similar stories to these.

[@janellemaynait]

Important documentary

[@j-toe755]

I found an article that said Stillwell died of renal failure from years of pain meds. Very sad.

[@bayousmackerdixford3389]

..... R I P STILLWELL

[@jeffh757]

I looked the article up and that was in reference to another player. His cause of death doesn't seem to be out there.

[@bravobravoh1344]

I haven't seen this in almost 40 years. I remember watching it on HBO back then.

[@Falconcat63]

Otto and Stillwell were tough and serious men. However, as a 61 year old man I can't believe there's anything in the world, other than defending your family, that would make being crippled before the age of 40 and spending hundreds of hours when you could be enjoying life in the hospital or some doctor's office worth it. Just an observation on my part. They loved football and wanted to play the game.

[@drbonesshow1]

Dave Dalby died before Jim Otto.

[@jimguy9874]

Looking at this now as opposed to when I first saw it in 1985, a lot of those hits would be considered illegal now.

[@Dinan5iver2]

Facts.

[@sd31263]

O.J. is currently looking for the real killers in Hell.

[@poindextertunes]

Say what you will about OJ I mean the is a pos but one could make a case that he’s one of the greatest RBs of all time. I certainly feel like he had the best season a RB has ever had. 143 yards a game is unreal and unthinkable in todays game. And he did it in what most ppl would consider a “tougher” era with fewer games

[@complexblackness]

O.J. living rent free.

[@bdflatlander]

@@sd31263 : I was hoping to see OJ examined post mortem for CTE but don’t think that happened or at least if it did it wasn’t publicized. OJ’s acquittal of the two murders he clearly committed is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in American history. I’m glad that at least the jurors in the civil case got it right.

[@dopefiendlarz133]

@@poindextertunesdid you wear a helmet when you played?

[@markpugner9165]

Being horribly disabled with nothing but the chronic pain to show for it is the worst situation

[@jetjack74]

The next documentary to highlight the head injuries was Frontline’s “League of Denial” which spotlighted Mike Webster and and his struggles. It became the basis for the movie “Concussion” centered around Dr Ben Amalu

[@bdflatlander]

@@jetjack74 : League of Denial is a great documentary. It also featured the suicide of Junior Seau who had a severe case of CTE, which didn’t surprise me given how long he played in the NFL and how hard he hit opposing players.

[@ugaais]

OJ cuts left, OJ cuts right, he slashes through their defenses….

[@AnthonySouthard-g7w]

i only played highschool football. i was on drugs when i played my senior year i was big and fast i remember getting hit so hard my brain was in pain but i kept playing. i cant imagine these guys that play in the nfl. i still feel it affected my brain and depression im 33 with 3 kids i wont allow them to play.

[@johnsheehan6250]

I have a Love and Hate relationship with football because of this.

[@andrewskokna9760]

Sad to see that double murderer OJ

[@jokerz7936]

He was found not guilty. God Bless the American Justice System.

[@hellacrunk1]

Dude probably had CTE in retrospect

[@butchcassidy3373]

Just goes to show, lady justice is blind, but she can smell that money. The rich have always gotten away with murder.

[@noblesseoblige9947]

Jack Squirek, RIP

[@he-mansuncle7661]

I have a semblance of what they’re going through. I injured my knee in high school football and had 11 surgeries in 8 years.

[@jonathanlund6708]

That's funny Gene upshaw who himself played 16 years saying Jim Otto didn't know when to give up he also played 16 years

[@ryanjacobson2508]

Upshaw ended up the healthier of the two. Otto was pushing his body way beyond it's limits, using mental toughness to overcome the fact that his body was taking damage it had no business taking.

[@jetjack74]

Jim Otto wore a very basic, older helmet and small face guard which what was part of the problem, in relation to the head injuries. Mike Webster was a carbon copy of Otto. Webster’s abuse came with the Astroturf generation. Playing most of his games on astroturf, so he was abit more prone to head trauma that some other teams not diminishing Otto, he still was subject to probably the most violent period of the NFL. When he left the game, it was the beginning of tightening up of rules of direct contact.

[@hoopaholicstickum]

I decided my senior year, that being the 3rd heaviest player on the varsity at QB, I wanted to survive to play basketball more. I played my junior year with 3 cracked ribs! So I quit playing football. Luckily back then, only a few folks got pissed off at me for quitting… unlike today I suppose. I went on to play college basketball and in the pro-am leagues till I was in my late 30s. Also downhill skiing was my 2nd favorite sport. Beach volleyball became big also.. today at 70 years old, I have finger joint issues, knee issues, and one hip replacement. Crushed 3 vertebrae in a skiing crash in my late 20s, nearly severed my sciatic nerve in my right leg, so I’m partially paralyzed… I am relatively pain free, but have early morning discomfort. It’s a 5 to 10 minute warmup and all is ok then. I have known ex NBA and NFL players who suffer WAY more than I… I just can’t imagine what misery they must have to deal with… Jim Otto was an iconic player. I don’t think he really truly regrets playing… just wishes he did have to pay such a high price.

[@mootpointjones8488]

OO and DD, both great Raiders.

[@michaelquigley9719]

Football is a tough and dangerous game

[@markadams2907]

It really is a Gladiator sport

[@ryanjacobson2508]

Esp. in the 70's and 80's, when players started to put on lots more muscle but rules hadn't been adjusted to protect QBs, RBs, and receivers.

[@MrCoats]

These are the men who made football what it is today with popularity but the product today isn't as good. And they get paid 10 times more than these men of their blood sweat and tears.

[@JamesWhite-sl2sb]

Dave Dalby , back then sat on the bench for 2 3 4 years or so , until THE GREAT "JIM OTTO retired and step right in and held that position at least 8 or 9 years ? but VERY UNDERRATED and UNDER VALUED. THE GREAT " KEN STABLER had to wait about 3 years ? that's how it was done , back in the day . 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[@kcmerced9512]

Jim Otto is an absolute MONUMENT

[@wileycousins9209]

As I watch the action shots, I can spot many players in the scenes who met with tragic ends due to injuries and/or concussions.

[@markalley6303]

The pain Stillwell is in on the floor plying with his son must have been indescribable..been there..

[@bradmuehlenbein]

Man imagine finding out you got cut from a newspaper article. Times have changed. Shame on the Bears for not having the decency to call him in at least.

[@williamdiemert9866]

Howie Long been at Fox Sports since 1994

[@p.j._staten]

30 years. Wow

[@jeffwhisenhunt929]

Howie, Bradshaw, and i think J.B. was there on day 1.

[@poindextertunes]

one the only former raiders I actually respect. he’s great at that tv gig. for whatever reason most raiders players have a cocky aura about them even tho that haven’t done shxt in over 20 years. the organization has kinda always been like tho

[@Randall-o8v]

Remember seeing OTTO's restaurant billborad on way to Tahoe...George Blanda, Ben Davidson (was my last footballcard to complete set 1970? '71 ....MY pops played football at Xavier '58-60 center lineman those guys played Both offense AND defense 58 minutes a game.... they'd stick needles in to remove 'Water on the KNEE' go finish 2nd half', Talk of Love for the Game! What did a pro lineman make back then? $30 Grand? Tops? Glad to see Jimbo could get out of bed, i heard he couldn't stand up!... Center and NoseGuard Jeez!!!! n i was a wimpy wingback (when #32 was one)... Remember Mike WEBSTER you younger guys? B4 The movie??? Kelsey got out in time God Bless....like the Musician that 'Plays a tune to make us Happy....while He Breaks Down in TEARS!!!!

[@iancroft1447]

Uve Gotta Be Absolutely OUTTA UR MIND to Play This GREAT GAME 🏈

[@davissae]

Roger and Jim saved a lot of lives by sharing their realities🙏🏻

[@VTO3000]

this still ring bells til today

[@1sh1kll91]

I remember watching this, Jim Otto

[@RM-gn2nj]

wonderful doc thank you

[@markalley6303]

Jim Otto’a wife looks like Barbara Eden..beautiful

[@Football__Junkie]

Great find

[@mattsweeny3957]

Love you Otto

[@RichardG0linsky]

Great doc love ❤️ all who suffer

[@jimiverson4831]

The documentary that named & inspired the Metallica song

[@kmac4124]

well that was totally depressing ...i feel great sorrow for these injured guys . 30 concussions holy crap !!!

[@dactah5177]

I don't know man, that Dr near the end chuckling through the litany of Rogers injuries was pretty cold.

[@HS-tg1qx]

Al Davis said the Raider Shield was Jim Otto with the patch

[@gordonlandreth9550]

I read somewhere the face was a picture of Gary Cooper , with a smirk .

[@markalley6303]

Oklahoma drill brought back memories…

[@thomasb.smithjr.8401]

Some young men, over the last fifty years or so, played football on various levels and a number have injuries to show for it. But then I think about their fathers and grandfathers who fought in the world wars, endured Depression and Holocaust, worked hard labor jobs to put food on the table for their families and did what men had to do to make their way in the world. To the young men who understood this, football was both homage and a tribute to their father's efforts and sacrifice. It could be no other way ... 🇺🇲 🏉 🏈

[@dopefiendlarz133]

And girls 🙂

[@Jeezybear]

That’s why now it looks like pros don’t work as hard. They don’t want to get hurt. Work smarter not harder.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

They work harder, much harder, in the gym then old school players did. Don't forget that.

[@russellst.martin4255]

Watching all this before they even knew about CTE is like watching a film about the dangers of tobacco before they knew it also caused cancer.

[@bdflatlander]

@@russellst.martin4255 : that’s actually a good analogy

[@Bhulk79]

Except the NFL knew, hid the studies and lied to the players

[@Redmenace96]

Baseball players became FA in the mid 70's, and then NFL got it in late 80's. That is important part of this story. The NFL, today, I believe has gold-plated health care and disability insurance. That shouldn't be the player's responsibility. It should be paid fully by the NFL.

[@davidrice3337]

Why? These players make a lot of money - I work in the horse industry - Horses don't take time off and it ain't if but when you get hurt - These athletes have got it made

[@itz-luigi1210]

93

[@ripperduck]

I loved football, it was the coaches and players that I loathed....

[@seanlanglois8620]

I played all the way up to the college level nothing like waking up and having your feet swollen like footballs ankles swollen headaches light sensitivity mood swings

[@thewkovacs316]

you have cte

[@jimguy9874]

When the doctor asked Jim Otto, “Was it worth it?” He really couldn’t answer him. Sad.

[@jamesbarrett7815]

He answered it by relating all the pain that he went through. Moreover, he never said that it was worth it.

[@elvisp85]

Surreal seeing OJ on here.

[@butchcassidy3373]

Fools ball for sure. As someone who suffers pain everyday from riding and racing motocross and dirt stock cars, I can say, sometimes it's worth it and sometimes you wish you had never done it. Bless all the people who suffer for our entertainment.

[@notsure2105]

Nope w I said NO to my son playing football and I only played through high school. The negatives out weigh the positives. No matter what you can’t stop your brain from slamming into your skull.

[@johndef5075]

A Purdue university study found that alot of cumulative damage was done at practice. And the brain scans you could actually see activity diminish over the season.

[@drbonesshow1]

And plenty of Raiders are already dead.

[@richardschulman8821]

Now Im glad I wasnt good enough

[@SlugCult718]

Professional football today, in 2024 is such a different game. Even college has changed dramatically. Hell, the NCAA is now going to pay their college athletes. There's more of an infrastructure for the care of players and their protection. These guys never had the respect or care that they deserved for paving the way for the players of today.

[@judebarnes9209]

Another interesting thought is if Stillwell hadn't have gotten injured , how would that have affected the 84 & 85 Bears dedensive line, and who wouldnt have made the cut ? I'm guessing Hartenstine would have had to sit and subbed when needed.

[@59ogre]

He would have probably been retired anyway by that time.He played in like'75-'76

[@dactah5177]

After watching the first 45 minutes of this and then listening to the justifications to let their sons play astounded me. There was no honesty - "you can get hurt stepping off a curb". I wonder how many surgeries in life altering injuries happen every year because of that.

[@brianbachmeier34]

Roger Stillwell lived to be 54 years old.

[@MaximusWolfe]

No kidding. Jeez Louise. That’s young.

[@williamdiemert9866]

He passed away on February 19th,2006 at the age of 54

[@paulgrimm]

Otto sounds like that song THAT MAKES ME THE WINNER