AsylumGuido

Perhaps the most important factor is the money. Players today are making generational money within their first several years. There is no need to play any longer. Past generations of NFL players were forced to play well past the point of permanent damage just to maximize their earnings. The desires to reach greater non-monetary goals are outweighed by their desires to limit future health.

On the other end of the spectrum are players like Brees and Brady. Both have already accumulated generational wealth, yet continue to wish to play. They are no longer in it for the money. Both play a position, especially under today's rules, that virtually eliminates that "point of permanent damage" that I mentioned earlier. That doesn't mean that they should be expected to agree to some ridiculous "team friendly" deal. They should expect to still receive a fair market value, but are definitely not holding their teams ransom as mentioned elsewhere.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill