NFL 2K series not dead yet?

I thought this was interesting, found it in the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly:

Believe it or not

Q: Is Visual Concept - developer of the forced into early retirement NFL 2K series - now making a football game starring a bunch of Hall of Famers?

A: Apparently so. We hear that VC is quietly going around and signing several old-time football legends to contracts, which will enable the company to use their names and likenesses in a videogame. Now, you might be asking yourself, "How can another company sign these guys? I thought EA had the exclusive NFL license?" That's true, but once a player retires he's no longer part of the NFL Players Association - so that makes him a free agent. Look for these old farts to return to the gridiron in 2006.

That's interesting but is that really accurate, because I'm pretty sure that retired players still make up a division of the NFL Players Association. Isn't one of the reasons the NFLPA was formed to help players prepare for life after football

yeah I thought that one of the perks with the exclusive rights allowed madden to have all of the old school players with their real names and not just the numbers, but I'd love to see the 2k series live on in some way as long as it isn't done in a super cheesy way like Midway Blitz League.

You know i don't keep on top of these things, but if I understand you right there will be no ESPN NFL 2k6????

no, there will no ESPN 2k6. don't get me started. anyone seen vids of Madden '06? guess what? more of the $ame...

Retired players can join both the Retired Players organization, which like TAFKAS said is a division of the NFLPA, as well as the NFL Alumni. The Retired Players organization is essentially an advocate for former NFLers, helping to ensure the well-being of retired players by increasing future pensions and benefits for all players, while serving as a networking resource for players' careers after football. The NFL Alumni is a charity organization which serves the community and retired players experiencing economic or medical hardship. Neither organization appears to serve as a collective bargaining force in the use of retired players' names and likenesses, so that apparently is left up to the discretion of the individual retirees.