A PA workers’ compensation panel ruled this week that the Pittsburgh Steelers must pay Chukky Okobi $779 per week in workers’ compensation benefits for injuries that prevent him from playing in the NFL, and $22,000 in other benefits. His career was ended due to back, neck and arm injuries.
Okobi was on the Steelers team from 2001-2007. He then played shortly for the Cardinals and the Texans before ending his career.
Many people wouldn’t think of a sports injury as something that would be covered by workers’ compensation, but that’s not the case. If you are paid to play sports, and an injury makes you unable to work, that is a work injury and should be covered by workers’ compensation.