New NFL rules

[TheVTCGuy]

Watching the Hall of fame game right now, Bears against the Ravens. Already the new NFL rules have shown up. The kick-off for example: There is no running start allowed. Every player has to be between the 34 and 35 yard line so the kick off team is starting coverage from a standing start. It looked kind of strange. I am just waiting to see the first penalty for the new helmet rule called. If I understand it correctly, (and I don’t think ANYONE understands it, including the players and referees) a tackler can not touch a ball carrier with his helmet.. at all. This ought to be an interesting season. What is your opinion on these new rules?

[SemperFi]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Watching the Hall of fame game right now, Bears against the Ravens. Already the new NFL rules have shown up. The kick-off for example: There is no running start allowed. Every player has to be between the 34 and 35 yard line so the kick off team is starting coverage from a standing start. It looked kind of strange. I am just waiting to see the first penalty for the new helmet rule called. If I understand it correctly, (and I don’t think ANYONE understands it, including the players and referees) a tackler can not touch a ball carrier with his helmet.. at all. This ought to be an interesting season. What is your opinion on these new rules?

As far as the helmet rule goes, it’s the way football used to be played. The defense tackled with their arms and shoulders, not as a guided missile.
Hopefully it cuts down on brain injuries and saves lives. Otherwise the game might be doomed.

[bdex75]

It will be flag football in 5 years.

But I hate the spearing leading with the head crap.


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[rolehex]

I am hanging by a thread on watching this game that used to love dearly. This new helmet rule might be the end of football for me. We will see when the season starts.

Very sad because I also believe in ten years there won't be any football or it will be just 7 on 7, and flag.

[Vivalas]

I always stay up to watch the Super Bowl every year - still don’t understand the game.

[City74]

Football is a contact sport. That’s part of the game. While I don’t agree with the “spearing” type of tackle, not using your helmet it ludicrous. Why not just take their helmets off then if you can’t use them? I think they are protecting the players WAY to much, especially the QB. I mean they know what the game is, they know the risks, but they choose to play. Nobody makes them. I think all the rules are just simply to avoid lawsuits. Sure I don’t want to see anyone with brain damage or the like but cmon, it’s a tough game. You know the possibility. If you don’t want to risk it don’t play. What we don’t need is a tame watered down sport that is nothing close to what it’s intended to be. The NFL truly is the No Fun League

[Brew]

I am always amazed that folks let their children play a sport that causes brain damage.

[1William]

Not a fan, but think the new rules are to protect the players and I am good with it.

[crew]

There’s no room in the game for spearing. Many years ago (most) players didn’t need to be told this, they knew it was a dirty play.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I am just waiting to see the first penalty for the new helmet rule called. If I understand it correctly, (and I don’t think ANYONE understands it, including the players and referees) a tackler can not touch a ball carrier with his helmet.. at all.

To my eyes this means that there will be a penalty on every play.

The NFL used to be good, they chose to ruin their own game.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by City74

Football is a contact sport. That’s part of the game. While I don’t agree with the “spearing” type of tackle, not using your helmet it ludicrous. Why not just take their helmets off then if you can’t use them? I think they are protecting the players WAY to much, especially the QB. I mean they know what the game is, they know the risks, but they choose to play. Nobody makes them. I think all the rules are just simply to avoid lawsuits. Sure I don’t want to see anyone with brain damage or the like but cmon, it’s a tough game. You know the possibility. If you don’t want to risk it don’t play. What we don’t need is a tame watered down sport that is nothing close to what it’s intended to be. The NFL truly is the No Fun League

No real UK rugby is a contact sport,your football is played by guys in full body armour to prevent any real contact.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by padi56

No real UK rugby is a contact sport,your football is played by guys in armour to prevent any real contact.

Well yes Peter I do agree, however, the issue has become that the "armor" is being used as a weapon.

That is far more than actual contact. In addition the NFL players on average are bigger, stronger and faster so the impact with a helmet is magnified. Simple laws of physics.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by City74

Football is a contact sport. That’s part of the game. While I don’t agree with the “spearing” type of tackle, not using your helmet it ludicrous. Why not just take their helmets off then if you can’t use them? I think they are protecting the players WAY to much, especially the QB. I mean they know what the game is, they know the risks, but they choose to play. Nobody makes them. I think all the rules are just simply to avoid lawsuits. Sure I don’t want to see anyone with brain damage or the like but cmon, it’s a tough game. You know the possibility. If you don’t want to risk it don’t play. What we don’t need is a tame watered down sport that is nothing close to what it’s intended to be. The NFL truly is the No Fun League

Take the money out of the game first then, all these sports are mostly populated with poor, desperate kids with no other chance of a decent let alone rich life. From an outside view watching these games sometimes looks like the baying Romans in the Coliseum. Safety rules are needed, the fat overindulged mob in the stands is not the priority.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by padi56

No real UK rugby is a contact sport,your football is played by guys in full body armour to prevent any real contact.

I suspect very few of us would last more than a tackle or two in the NFL.
No slight at all to Rugby, it's a tough, physical game, but the impact force seen play after play in the NFL, leaves a great percentage of these men crippled for life to one degree or another. And that's not counting the damage done to the brain.

I grew up with football and continue to enjoy it, but the science behind the danger of the collisions, can't be disputed. Cooler heads need to change the game for the good and health of the players, regardless of what the fans or participants may think.

[codecow]

Originally Posted by Brew

I am always amazed that folks let their children play a sport that causes brain damage.

People do dangerous things all the time. Sports are fun to participate in.

[DLRIDES]

Remove the helmets and pads, ........................... problem solved. Agility, speed and conditioning will would prevalent once more.

[Brew]

Originally Posted by codecow

People do dangerous things all the time. Sports are fun to participate in.

Agreed!

However, if you know that the sport will harm your child's brain, it's one thing if you strap on your helmet, it's another if you strap one on your child. If you choose to stick your head in the sand, well . . . .

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by City74

Football is a contact sport. That’s part of the game. While I don’t agree with the “spearing” type of tackle, not using your helmet it ludicrous. Why not just take their helmets off then if you can’t use them? I think they are protecting the players WAY to much, especially the QB. I mean they know what the game is, they know the risks, but they choose to play. Nobody makes them. I think all the rules are just simply to avoid lawsuits. Sure I don’t want to see anyone with brain damage or the like but cmon, it’s a tough game. You know the possibility. If you don’t want to risk it don’t play. What we don’t need is a tame watered down sport that is nothing close to what it’s intended to be. The NFL truly is the No Fun League

Why is risking brain damage “fun” for a viewer?

[City74]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Why is risking brain damage “fun” for a viewer?

You wrisk brain damage wrestling, riding a mountain bike, dirt biking or any other physical sport you choose to be involved in. If you won’t accept the risk then don’t participate

[dddrees]

Frankly somehow I no longer view sports as being anymore special than reality TV anymore. It's on 24X7 and even when it's off season. The glorification of any sport being as important as what it has become is just plain ridiculous.

If the adults wish to put their health in jeopardy for the almighty dollar then that's one thing, but the kids growing up that's another. Somehow when I thought it was just arms and legs with the occasional cripple that was one thing, now that we're talking Traumatic Brain Injury it's another. Somehow the thought of people like Mohammed Ali and Junior Seau and others just gets to me.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by City74

You wrisk brain damage wrestling, riding a mountain bike, dirt biking or any other physical sport you choose to be involved in. If you won’t accept the risk then don’t participate

There is a difference between a risk and proven causal reality.

[GoingPlaces]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

I suspect very few of us would last more than a tackle or two in the NFL.
No slight at all to Rugby, it's a tough, physical game, but the impact force seen play after play in the NFL, leaves a great percentage of these men crippled for life to one degree or another. And that's not counting the damage done to the brain.

I grew up with football and continue to enjoy it, but the science behind the danger of the collisions, can't be disputed. Cooler heads need to change the game for the good and health of the players, regardless of what the fans or participants may think.

Yes, no comparison between the two sports. Football with bigger, stronger and faster players means greater collisions than before. Safety's are now the size of linebackers 20 years ago, you have 275lb players running mid 4's in the forty. Much more violence today.

Not sure what the future for this sport holds a it is going through a lot right now for several reasons.

[V25V]

Originally Posted by bdex75

It will be flag football in 5 years.

But I hate the spearing leading with the head crap.


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Agreed. That penalty they called last night in the end zone.... you gotta be kidding me. I was already tuning out of football, this will only decrease my interest in the sport. They are digging their own grave here.

[greggsiam]

How can you not tackle someone without touching your helmet to them? I can see not spearing them or helmet to helmet, but once you wrap your arms around them, your helmet will touch somewhere.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by greggsiam

How can you not tackle someone without touching your helmet to them? I can see not spearing them or helmet to helmet, but once you wrap your arms around them, your helmet will touch somewhere.

This has been my point.

The rule is poorly written and open to interpretation which causes confusion as in the catch rule.

The NFL is on the decline and they have no idea how to fix it but still make too much money to care.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by beshannon

This has been my point.

The rule is poorly written and open to interpretation which causes confusion as in the catch rule.

The NFL is on the decline and they have no idea how to fix it but still make too much money to care.

Well at least now they admit there's a problem instead of trying to burry it because they didn't want to jeopardize that BIG HUGE CASH COW.


They always knew this was going to be a problem. How in the heck can you play a contact sport without having contact.

[SemperFi]

I don’t know how old most of you guys are but if you watched football in the 60’s there was no tackling by leading with the helmet. Defensive players ran through the ball carrier using their arms and legs.
Somehow over the years that all changed and not for the better. Kids are now taught differently and for you younger fellas that’s all you know and what you’re accustomed to seeing. What makes it worse is that today’s athlete is bigger, stronger, and faster than those of years past. This is true for all of the major sports but is most prevalent in American football where every play is violent.

[Boothroyd]

I watched a good part of that game as well to see how the rules would be enforced. It did look like defensive players were tackling with their arms more than the helmets, a throwback to the way the game used to be played.

When players play at full speed in the regular season, this is going to be impossible to officiate is my prediction. And the play of the safeties will be greatly impacted. This will be a frustrating season to watch, is my guess, until everyone is on board with the new rules and how they will be officiated. What the game looks like when it finally normalizes around the new rules will be interesting.

At least now a "catch is a catch". They changed that. I was at the Dez Bryant Dallas-GB playoff game in 2016. Really frustrating to have the officials involved and reviewing every play as you try to watch a game.

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by SemperFi

I don’t know how old most of you guys are but if you watched football in the 60’s there was no tackling by leading with the helmet. Defensive players ran through the ball carrier using their arms and legs.
Somehow over the years that all changed and not for the better. Kids are now taught differently and for you younger fellas that’s all you know and what you’re accustomed to seeing. What makes it worse is that today’s athlete is bigger, stronger, and faster than those of years past. This is true for all of the major sports but is most prevalent in American football where every play is violent.

Correct. In the 80’s we were taught head up, shoulders back. Run thru the opponent.

The headhunting and spearing has to stop.


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[uscmatt99]

Originally Posted by padi56

No real UK rugby is a contact sport,your football is played by guys in full body armour to prevent any real contact.

Originally Posted by AK797

Take the money out of the game first then, all these sports are mostly populated with poor, desperate kids with no other chance of a decent let alone rich life. From an outside view watching these games sometimes looks like the baying Romans in the Coliseum. Safety rules are needed, the fat overindulged mob in the stands is not the priority.

Great comments, and I say this as a huge college football fan. With the knowledge we've accrued regarding long-term health consequences of repetitive concussive injuries, change is needed. The elite football players all started as kids and teens where the brain trauma inflicted by hits has the greatest negative effects. Minimizing protective gear will increase bumps, bruises, and bleeding but will spare a generation of athletes from early dementia, depression, impulse-control disorders, etc.

Ultimately fans will vote with their wallets. There is always MMA, boxing, and high speed Formula 1 and NASCAR crashes if you want to see competitors permanently injured and get a kick out of that.