The NFL Attempts to Make the Game Less Violent

The NFL is trying to eliminate dangerous and egregious hits. The rule isn't being changed. It's the way the NFL will now enforce the rule that has people talking. The league plans to suspend players for making illegal, helmet-to-helmet hits. Any hit to the head or neck will be looked at by the league office.



The players' safety is extremely important. The league made a great decision several years ago to change the rules to protect the quarterbacks. Quarterbacks are the marquee attractions and the NFL needs its stars on the field as much as possible. Now, the NFL is taking another step to protect its employees. Concussions are becoming more and more prevalent, and maybe that's largely due to the increased attention players are getting after receiving a hit to the head. Either way, the health of its players is a main concern of the NFL because of the increasing number of injuries and concussions. But the hits the league are trying to decry are the same hits that lead off highlight segments on ESPN and the NFL Network. The NFL was even selling pictures of several illegal hits on its website. That seems to be a tad bit hypocritical. Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita agrees, saying,

"I’m absolutely saying they are being completely hypocriti­cal. No doubt about it...They’re not consistent in their message right now. It’s just funny because they’re talking about banning these hits and suspending these players, but these are the same hits they are showing on NFL Network, promoting the game showing these hits."

He's absolutely right. The NFL can't have it both ways. (For the record, those pictures have been removed. And the NFL can't control the content on Sportscenter.)

I'm sure there are players in favor of the way the NFL will police these hits the rest of the season. But it's those that disagree that are making headlines.


Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said the NFL might as well give the players flags, and change the league's name to the "National Flag Football League." Urlacher's teammate, cornerback Charles Tillman, said, "It's ruining the integrity. It's not even football anymore. We should just go out there and play two-hand touch Sunday if we can't make contact." While I think those views are a bit extreme, the players' mindsets are obviously going to be effected.

Many players believe fans will see a decrease in the quality of the game. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis thinks the game is being diluted, saying, "My opinion is play the game like that game is supposed to be played, and whatever happens happens."

Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder thinks the NFL is turning football into a more "feminine sport." He recently said, "If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me. They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it." Crowder went on to say, "They can complain, they can suspend, they can fine and they can do whatever they want, but you can't stop a man from playing football the way he's been playing since high school."



And it's not just the defensive players speaking out against the way the NFL plans to crack down on hits to the head and neck. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is worried about opposing defenders going lower in an attempt to avoid contact to the head and the subsequent fines/suspensions. Roethlisberger actually prefers a hit to the head, saying, "Just to be a little woozy, I think guys would take that over never walking again." And his teammate, safety Ryan Clark thinks defenders will in fact go lower. Clark said,

"We can't go around hitting guys in the head, they made that point and we understand that. Obviously they wanted to make it a big issue, with the media showing the hits over and over again. They had to make a statement and I think they did. But where do you go from here? We don't want to see guys with blown ACLs and thigh bruises and hip replacements. It's a touchy subject. We've got to find a way to hit these guys within the rules."

Roethlisberger and Clark both make good points. Alot of these guys actually make good points. Football is a violent game. When players sign up to play football they do so knowing it's a violent game. And I don't think suspending players for "egregious" hits will make it a less violent game. But that doesn't meant the league should do nothing. League officials can't just leave it alone. The NFL needs to be proactive in ensuring the safety of its players. What happens if the NFL does nothing, and next week a player gets hit and he's paraylzed for the rest of his life? Or what happens if the NFL ignores the issue and a player gets hit and dies on the field? It could happen, and it could happen even with the new threats of suspensions. But if it makes players think twice before they try to take someone's head off, then the NFL has done its job. Ben Roethlisberger says he'd rather take a shot to the head rather than be in a wheel chair the rest of his life. But what if that hit to the head and neck leaves him paralyzed, confined to a hosptial bed with no movement in his arms and legs? I would take the wheel chair. And that's exactly why the NFL is doing the right thing.