The NFL's Head Protection Program

I talked about this idea before in my Andre Johnson not-getting-suspended-bullshit post. This is the more angry version of that.

Background: The NFL has started a huge stance against helmet-to-helmet hits. The aim is to protect the players, who are all suffering from concussions, and we're starting to see players who played the game having their bodies decline rapidly. Our bodies aren't made for this abuse, yet these players are glorified, "role models", and paid obnoxious amounts of money.

So the NFL's policy is to penalize the players who try to hit a player using their head. There's a 15-yard penalty and almost always a serious fine. For these players, the fine is insignificant because they make more money in one game than I make in one year.

Here's my problem with this: The game is SO fast and really uncontrollable. The player with the ball can move/lower his head/etc and that puts himself in a position to be hit by the defender's helmet. It happens in a split second. There's not enough time for the defender to change his positioning. Yet he is penalized for something out of his control.

In a similar vein, how exactly are you taught to tackle someone in football? It's my understanding that you tackle by squaring your shoulders with the ground, which leaves your head (obviously) bulging out from your shoulders. Naturally, your head is going to be most likely the first think that hits your target. The defender can't account for the offensive player lowering his head bracing for impact.

So my point is the defender gets the shaft here. He can't do his job. Instead, he has to play "safe", which can result in broken tackles and not being able to do his job to the best of his ability.

I understand trying to protect the players. The brutal reality, and everyone says this, is that football is an extremely violent game. It's made that way. There is intended contact on every single play. Someone is going to be dragged down or hit by another player(s). So while we're trying to protect the players, it's like a fruitless enterprise. How can you protect the players by allowing them to play a violent game? Unfortunately the violence won't go away. That's why this penalty is unfair.

The criticism we hear from talking heads is that the NFL preaches this "protecting the players" crap while working on creating an 18 game schedule. I totally agree. I think the NFL is a sham. They talk and say the right things, but how can you claim that and then suggest to put your players at risk for another 2 games? This game is brutal. By game 16, players are really feeling it. We'll never understand because we don't play it and we don't see it. These players go through extreme lengths, treatment, and other things to be out there on game day. They typically don't think long term. They're thinking about now. We can't pass up this opportunity because my leg hurts; this could be our chance; I need the contract. Then later down the line of life they're incapable of walking without feeling the pain.

When you watch an NFL game, they talk about trying to "rough the quarterback." I was watching a game a few weeks ago where the color commentator (I think it was Troy Aikman) said: "try to hit the quarterback, make his head hit the ground, give him a headache". WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS HEAD HITTING THE GROUND AND HITTING SOMEONE'S HELMET? The level of damage is the same - in fact, it's arguable that the ground is harder than a helmet. This game is violent. It's socially acceptable to say "RIP HIS HEAD OFF" and get away with it. Ripping his head off is like a concussion, right?

So while the NFL acts like it's trying to protect the players, it is really after the money. That's what America is about; making as much money as you can on off something. But don't act like you really care about the players. Instead, it's cheapened the way the game is played. These players know and accept the consequences, and are paid *decently* enough to compensate for their occupation. I don't mean to crack a smile at this, I mean to be honest; the game is violent, the players know it, they've accepted it, so let's not have Big Brother (Roger Goodell) come in and try to act like it's a safe game. It's far from it.

In the meantime, can we stop ruining games over 15 year penalties? Those type of penalties make or break a game, so let's stop the front and play some real football.