Thomas Marion Addison (April 12, 1936 – June 14, 2011) was an American professional football linebacker, sports labor leader, and is a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
On June 18, 1968, he was released by the Patriots after team doctors stated that he would risk further damage by playing after having undergone two knee operations.
Upon entering the meeting room, Addison approached the long oval table, where the stern-faced owners were awaiting.
This broke the tension, and started a period of perhaps the most positive relationship between owners and players in team sports history.
Addison's work was an important element in the survival of the league, and helped the AFL to be able to compete for top talent, and to establish itself as the future of Professional Football.