60 Heroes: John Bunting’s Strong Voice

When Philadelphia Eagles linebacker John Bunting was crunching numbers as a NFLPA executive committee member in 1981, something didn’t quite add up. At the time, the average NFL team made about $12 million a year; yet the average salary for a NFL player, whose career typically spanned about four years, was one-third of what pro basketball players made.

The strong facts and convictions voiced by Bunting during the 1982 player strike proved vital in the players earning better medical benefits while paving the way for the NFL’s current revenue-sharing system that grants players a greater percentage of the league’s profits.

After being drafted by the Eagles in the 10th round of the 1972 NFL Draft, the former University of South Carolina become known as a ferocious defender during 11 seasons. Off the field, Bunting was just as fierce when it came to players’ rights, traveling to bargaining sessions and team cities to educate and unify others during the eight-game strike in 1982. The result was positive change and greater future leverage for the NFLPA.