NFL legends threaten Hall of Fame boycott

Three New York football legends joined with their fellow Hall of Famers in demanding health care and a salary for all those enshrined in the Hall.

Joe Namath, Curtis Martin and Lawrence Taylor are among the players who sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and the president and executive director of the Hall of Fame, C. David Baker.

The letter — obtained by multiple media outlets Tuesday morning, including ESPN — said that most of the living members of the Hall of Fame are planning to boycott next year’s enshrinement ceremony in Canton, Ohio, unless their demands are met.

“We, the undersigned Pro Football Hall of Famers, were integral to the creation of the modern NFL, which in 2017 generated $14 billion in revenue. But when the league enshrined us as the greatest ever to play America’s most popular sport, they gave us a gold jacket, a bust and a ring — and that was it.

“People know us from our highlight reels. They see us honored and mythologized before games and at halftime, and it would be reasonable if they thought life was good for us. But on balance, it’s not. As a group we are struggling with severe health and financial problems. To build this game, we sacrificed our bodies. In many cases, and despite the fact that we were led to believe otherwise, we sacrificed our minds.

“We believe we deserve more. We write to demand two things: Health insurance and an annual salary for all Hall of Famers that includes a share of league revenue.”

The letter is signed by 21 players and the widow of Reggie White.