Is Football Becoming Sissy by the Minute?

[KingPosey]

I also don't know how laying your helmet on someone's chin causes brain injury???

Anytime a helmet has ever grazed the bottom-half of my facemask, I've never felt any pain in my head.

Because it shakes your brain. You seriously don't see how getting speared in the chin affects your heAd?

[SFrush90]

As much as a lot of people hate Goodell, he's doing his players good in the long run. They may not like it now, but 20-30+ years from now I'd guess they'd be much happier having a less likelihood of having long-term brain injuries because of the way he's handling the type of hits. Football is still very physical. Does it really hurt that there aren't as many "JACKED UP" hits anymore? Personally, I'd rather see a player have a better chance of having a longer, healthier life than see these big hits every week. They'll still be there, but just not to what we've been used to seeing.

[Ezekial]

"When I played high school football it never hurt when I got hit in the helmet."

[Strange famous]

I want football to be a contact sport, not a combat sport.

[tmacsc2]

LOVE THIS HIT....HE GOT FLAGGED BUT NOT FINED!!! ********! THANKS GOODELL!

[blakersburris]

We obviously know that hitting your head at full speed for a decade can cause some damage. There is no disputing that.

My concern is, if you are up to making a million dollars a year and are aware of the repercussions of banging your head for a decade, then why don't we let these guys bang away?

Nascar drivers have much more of a risk, IMO. Should they implement speed limits?

[blakersburris]

LOVE THIS HIT....HE GOT FLAGGED BUT NOT FINED!!! ********! THANKS GOODELL!

And this hit was perfectly fine, IMO. Why is the NFL flagging this play?

[SFrush90]

We obviously know that hitting your head at full speed for a decade can cause some damage. There is no disputing that.

My concern is, if you are up to making a million dollars a year and are aware of the repercussions of banging your head for a decade, then why don't we let these guys bang away?

Nascar drivers have much more of a risk, IMO. Should they implement speed limits?

Just because they make millions they shouldn't be properly protected? That's dumb. Having a healthier, longer life is more important than money. I don't get why your so against protecting these players. It's still a very physical, violent sport with Goodell's new rules. Why does there need to be so much head banging?

[torrance]

^ If you don't want to get in the head, then don't play football.

If you don't want to get sandy, then don't go to the beach.

If you don't want to get wet, then don't go swimming.

If you don't want to get hit by a fastball, then don't play baseball.

If you're afraid of heights, don't ride the roller coaster.

You feel me?

And if you don't like the watered down football they play today, don't watch. See how that works?

[envymamba24]

And if you don't like the watered down football they play today, don't watch. See how that works?

no. it absolutely does not work like that. you act like he is the only one complaining about the issues at hand with the sport. even the players dont like it. i saw harder hits watching my little brother play. the point is, this is not A contact sport, its THEE contact sport, and many of us (about 999,999,999 out of a million arent fit to participate). if you happen to be that one in a million, and are passionate about being so, there is a risk..just like there is with everything. this isnt the football dad or grandpa watched, and in 20 years, you yourself will be complaining that the flag football league is atrocious.

[BradytoGronkTD]

Goodell is doing a fantastic job in my opinion. As the league progresses players are getting stronger, faster, and bigger. Sure right now we dont see every player with head trauma, but the number will steadily rise as the years go by if there isnt a change.

The players are entertainers not barbarians. The league has to do whatever is possible to protect the product. IF they just let these guys knock their heads off each other the NFL would drown in lawsuits from players families for not taking the proper steps to protect their employees.

[NYSPORTS98]

I also don't know how laying your helmet on someone's chin causes brain injury???

Anytime a helmet has ever grazed the bottom-half of my facemask, I've never felt any pain in my head.

The "button" isn't the bottom-half of a facemask.

Button: This is a term for a point on the chin that if hit just right will usually knock a boxer down and might knock him out.

[torrance]

no. it absolutely does not work like that. you act like he is the only one complaining about the issues at hand with the sport. even the players dont like it. i saw harder hits watching my little brother play. the point is, this is not A contact sport, its THEE contact sport, and many of us (about 999,999,999 out of a million arent fit to participate). if you happen to be that one in a million, and are passionate about being so, there is a risk..just like there is with everything. this isnt the football dad or grandpa watched, and in 20 years, you yourself will be complaining that the flag football league is atrocious.

I actually agree with you about football being watered down. And yes, I think they've gone too far, making it almost impossible for a player to tackle without getting flagged. But I stand by my comment, which was a response to "if you don't want to get hit in the head, don't play football," which I believe is too vague. The subject is more complex than that.

[cwick925]

Give em racks!

Give them Dabs!

[manbearchef]

Just because they make millions they shouldn't be properly protected? That's dumb. Having a healthier, longer life is more important than money. I don't get why your so against protecting these players. It's still a very physical, violent sport with Goodell's new rules. Why does there need to be so much head banging?

They make millions, plus they're aware of the consequences. Even before all of this concussion talk, football players knew the affects the game would have on their knees, ankles, back, and whatever else could possibly happen. No one is saying they shouldn't try to make the game safer (via better equipment, or enforcing blatant dirty hits), but they shouldn't kill the sport in the process. It's a contact sport that is going to have a rough effect on the body, regardless of how many rules they put in.

IMO, leading with the head should be a penalty, however, helmets touching should NOT. In the current game we're seeing defenders leave their natural movements to make sure they don't accidentally bump helmets, which is ridiculous. Now, when someone slams face-mask first into the side of someone else's helmet, that absolutely should be illegal, but just because they hit doesn't mean it should have a game-effecting 15 yard penalty + a first down.