'69 New York Jets Continue Their Winning Ways

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That study's lead author said those results may better reflect the reality of life after players leave the gridiron.

"That [Jets team] was a very special team, they had a lot of spirit and camaraderie, and they had this amazing continuity of health care throughout," said Dr. Thomas Schwenk, professor and chairman of the department of family medicine at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. "We know that contributes to overall health and to mental and physical health and vitality."

He also wonders if the 1969 Jets -- a highly select, fit, medically pampered group of men -- shouldn't have done even better than the data shows. "Should they have scores that are only as good as the general population? Should they be better?" Schwenk said.

He believes that for too many players, life after the game is much lonelier than that experienced by the '69 Jets.

"I think a lot of this has to do with what happens to these players after retirement -- do they go off and have minimal connections? No support, no health care, no continuity, no follow-up?" Schwenk said. "Are they just shunted off to the corners of life, or are they connected in ways that give them certain attributes to their overall health?"

Indeed, recent headlines have shown that not all players fare as well as the retired Jets. Former NFL player Andre Waters, a star safety for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, committed suicide last year at age 44. He had been suffering from brain damage caused by multiple concussions during his 12-year career, pathology reports found.

And a legal and media tug-of-war continues between those representing aging and ailing ex-players and the NFL Players Association. Critics charge that the players' union isn't giving retired players the pension and disability funds they need for illnesses linked to injuries sustained during their careers.

Speaking at a special Congressional hearing in September, former Miami Dolphins running back Mercury Morris charged that the "intent" of those in charge of the disability funds "is to prevent the player from getting the benefit," according to a report in the Baltimore Sun.