Player Safety

If the NFL is truly concerned with player safety, if it really wants players to think twice about injuring an opponent intentionally, if it really wants to make those messages resonate, then it should pause on the next stage of the Saints bounty story. Football is a physical sport which may lead to injury however, the league is trying to make the sport a more safe game to play.Their way of making the sport safe is shown through their new rule that passed consisting helmets falling off.If the players helmet falls off during the play, he is to get off the field for one play so he can be checked and put out for the next play.I believe that rule is a good rule to have because it is used to prevent concussions and other head injuries. Last but not least it could possibly save a players career.

The two men who head the league’s football operations department, Ray Anderson and Merton Hanks, should be studying a play in the Houston-Miami game from opening weekend. And once they see Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito purposefully wrench Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith’s ankle, the resulting discipline should serve as a loud example that a smaller play that intentionally injured someone, presumably with no bounty involved. According to Smith, "After the ball was recovered, I felt him kicking me. I was trying to protect myself. Kind of like a turtle in a shell. At no time was I turning his ankle. My intent was to keep him from getting to the ball.

Smith tried to lunge for a second quarter fumble that was lost by running back Daniel Thomas and recovered by Houston safety Daniel Manning held Smith back from getting near the ball, but did more than that. He latched onto and twisted Smith’s ankle. It lasted long enough and was serious enough that Smith needed to kick Incognito in the head to get free. According to Roger Godell were paid bonuses for, among other things, hard hits and deliberately injuring opposing players.The game of football is not the same anymore it is being controlled by money. Most players just play for show, and money that is something that really messes up the NFL. I suggest that the coach should stress it more to the players about adapting to the changes as opposed to their original style of play

The safety of NFL players have been a major issue for Rodger Godell since coming into the league in 2007. He has and still is finding ways to better protect the players, especially the quarterbacks. Disciplinary actions such as fines and even suspensions have been effected with players who fail to apply by the new rules. Some players also do not agree with these changes because they are having to adjust to from a somewhat less physical transition, which most were taught at a young age. Basically to some this is like telling them to not go so hard every down. Football is a man sport and you don’t get into the NFL going half speed so why start in the NFL? With all the positive, as well as negative changes regarding player safety, we must understand that football is a violent sport and a player must realize that anytime they are on the field, they can get hurt at anytime regardless the situation, bounty scandal, injuries, etc. No matter how many rules you change to protect the players, it will always be a violent sport.