There has been a lot of talk about concussions among NFL players, especially during the recent draft. Many people are calling for the NFL to implement a helmet-to-helmet safety program in an effort to cut down on the number of injuries to NFL players that occur on the field every week. There have also been discussions regarding whether or not the NFL should fine teams that have too many players wearing headgear.
One of the most controversial issues is the Sunday night game.
Many fans feel that the game is too fast for players to keep their helmets off of the field while they are being tackled. Fans and players alike have complained that the pace of the game, along with contact, makes it very difficult for players to stay conscious the entire game. This problem was brought to light recently when offensive lineman, Jason Smith, suffered a concussion during the second quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Some people think that Smith was trying to purposely injure himself in order to get the Packers offside and get the refs to call a foul.
Whatever the case may be, the league did take action, as they have done with numerous other instances over the years. Smith was suspended for the rest of the game and required to miss the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. The Packers lost the game and were not able to reclaim the Vince Lombardi trophy. Brett Favre, who was injured in the game, is now the overall winner of the MVP award.
The NFL has taken action to address the situation with some players, but many others say that the whole idea of the headgear is to protect the quarterback and make plays easier.
In other words, the NFL wants to create a sense of danger and give offense’s a reason not to execute the plays they want during the game. In other words, if there is no real danger to the players and the officials, why do you have the helmet rule? The players argue that this is a double standard, because the league fines players for unnecessary hits on helmet-to-helmet and yet they will allow the coach to continue using the equipment.
There is a lawsuit waiting for someone to file against the NFL for their actions in the matter.
One of the players, Robert Thames, is currently suing the NFL for his suffering from concussions while playing football. His case is currently pending and there are a lot of people who feel it should be thrown out due to the fact that he is not suing the league for personal injuries he suffered. Many former players feel the same way and believe the lawsuit should be allowed to proceed.
One thing is for certain: The NFL needs to come clean about this whole situation and let the players deal with it.
Otherwise, it’s going to be the downfall of the league and perhaps the firing of the commissioner. The only way this can be handled is for the NFL to admit their mistakes and take responsibility for their actions. If not, the lawsuit will continue and players will continue to be injured and suffer the repercussions of helmet to helmet hits. It’s time for the NFL to take a lesson from the guys who are in trouble and fix the problem at its source.