The 24 doctors at the 300,000-square-foot facility in the Lehigh Valley could begin seeing patients within 30 days.

Ditka, who spearheads Gridiron Greats, announced the partnership yesterday at a news conference in Chicago alongside some other former players.

Gridiron Greats provides money and services to former NFL players who often do not have medical insurance, disability payments, or the physical ability to earn a living.

The organization also is working with the Surgical Specialty Hospital of Arizona.

The partnership with the Allentown group was facilitated by Rob Palumbo, a sports medicine physician and partner at OAA who also serves as a second-opinion doctor for the NFL Players Association. Palumbo said he saw Ditka on television talking about the difficulties former players have getting disability assistance and insurance, and called Gridiron Greats to offer his help.

"People think it's unusual for doctors to take care of patients for free, but we all take care of clinical patients," Palumbo said. "It's done. It's not that hard. . . . I think the bottom line is we're all out there to help these guys out. They don't have the wherewithal to get the help. It's not that hard for us to do."

Palumbo said that former players have a host of issues, including knees and hips that need to be replaced, arthritis, and neurological problems.

"The energy that's absorbed by every player, it's like a motor vehicle accident," Palumbo said. "If you just look at the physics when 200-300 pound guys hit each other, it's no different than a 30 mile-per-hour car crash. They do it every play. To say any guy gets out unscathed, it just doesn't happen. There's nobody who played who's perfect."

The 24 doctors at OAA Orthopaedic have a range of specialties, including hands, joints, spine and rheumatology. There is an on-site surgical center, 18,000 square feet dedicated to rehabilitation, imaging capabilities and fitness conditioning.

Gridiron Greats is responsible for screening the candidates and providing support funds in advance of evaluation visits and surgeries to cover non-medical expenses such as travel and lodging, executive director Jennifer Smith said.

- Ashley Fox