60 Heroes: An Outspoken Champion for Justice

As the son of a union organizer, one could say Dave Meggyesy always had it in his blood to fight for labor rights. While in the NFL, the former St. Louis Cardinals linebacker was an outspoken advocate for the civil rights movement during the 1960s. And after joining the NFLPA staff, he became an activist for players’ rights as its Western Regional Director for more than 25 years.

Meggyesy’s bold voice about civil rights and the Vietnam War were not always well received by those in the NFL during his seven-year playing career. Then, after retiring in 1969 during his prime, the Syracuse alum endured more backlash following the publication of his revealing autobiography “Out of Their League,” which focused on how pro sports dehumanized athletes. 

In 1981, Meggyesy attended an NFLPA meeting and, after introducing himself to then-Executive Director Ed Garvey, asked for a job at the union. Meggyesy’s initial plan to stay on for six months to help with collective bargaining during the 1982 player strike turned into a much longer commitment. 

During his tenure, Meggyesy was able to help the NFLPA address many of the issues raised in his best-selling book, including free agency, the uneven revenue share between players and owners, health benefits and injury protection.

Meggyesy retired from the NFLPA staff in 2007, but he remains a strong advocate for player rights. He now serves as a player advisor for The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University, encouraging other fellow former athletes to participate in efforts to improve their well-being.