Owners To Eliminate Kickoffs?

[Prime Time]

Some comments from the PFT article posted earlier.
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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/17/dear-nfl-go-ahead-and-get-rid-of-the-kickoff/

If I want to watch flag football, I’ll go to my buddies’ church and watch their kids.
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Legitimate question. What are the statistics that show the kickoff is the most dangerous play in football?
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Data can be a great way to justify your point, especially if you groom it enough.
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Don’t agree. Its becoming flag football period anyway. So while your at it, get rid of the helmets, shoulder pads and strap on the streamers. Get it over so I can move on to other sports. Football is dying before our eyes……
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And …. why are they playing the Thursday night games?

I bet more people get hurt on that day, then kickoffs.
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in the last five years or so i went from watching football pretty much nonstop and having sunday ticket to no ticket and maybe one or two games a week the more rule changes takes the game i grew up watching to something i call fake football flags on every play, rules only enforced occasionally no kickoffs will put it one step closer to no football which is fine by me because there is a lot more to do in life than to watch fake football
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Maybe in a decade or so we’ll just be watching one guy representing a team playing Madden on tv.
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So what happens when you get rid of the most dangerous play in the game? A new most dangerous play steps up to take its place.
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Killing the league one rule change at a time.
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If they do this, I’ll be done watching the NFL.
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Dear NFL, go ahead and get rid of your fans.
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I also think that switching to leather helmets and smaller pads would discourage players using their bodies as weapons, but whatever.
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But then this leads to, “Go ahead and expand to 18 games”, and then, “Go ahead and play games in China”, and then, “Go ahead and relocate a team to London”.
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Keep on NFL, you’re gonna legislate yourself right out of business.
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More and more I am convinced the NFL is run by complete idiots.
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You’re need for safety will never stop. We are seeing the last of what will be remembered as football. I weep for the future of this game. It sounds like helicopter moms are running this.

 

[Ram65]

The data on kickoff injuries would be interesting to see. Here is part of an article with a least a way to keep the kickoffs and have less injuries. They have less returns since moving the kickoff up 5 yards and less injuries.

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/...n-vs-player-safety-in-nfl-kickoff-debate.html
..........They will also review this season’s injury data. The N.F.L. has long said that kickoffs have the highest rate of injury of any play. When the N.F.L. moved the kickoff line from the 30 to the 35 before the 2011 season, the percentage of touchbacks leapt from 16.4 percent to 43.5 percent, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And, as intended, the injury rate fell accordingly. According to N.F.L. figures, there were 40 percent fewer concussions on kickoffs in 2011 than there had been in 2010. With the percentage of kickoffs resulting in touchbacks increasing this season — it stands at 45.2 percent through Week 14 — the league will hope that injuries have dropped again.

Then, Mara said, he would want to seek opinions from coaches and others around the league on what incremental modifications could be made to make kickoffs safer, without eliminating them. He will get an earful. The Jets special-teams coach Mike Westhoff has already spoken to some league officials about his idea: make the receiving team put eight men up — there are now only five or six — and only three back to receive the kick. That would force blockers to engage much earlier, eliminating the running starts that build speed and slowing down the collisions. Blockers would instead run down the field side by side with those covering the kick, as happens on punts.

“You could still have the onside kick, still have kickoffs, still have chances of return, still have scheming, still have plays,” Westhoff said. “But you eliminate some of the violent collisions because contact is made sooner and they are more adjacent to one another. If the statistics are overwhelming, maybe it’s time for a change, but adapt rather than go from A to Z. To throw the play out? I am adamantly opposed to it.”.......................

 

[Psycho_X]

When there’s a dangerous table saw in a machine shop, a responsible foreman doesn’t say, “Use it less.” A responsible foreman says, “Don’t use it at all.”

What? I don't even get this analogy. It's dangerous because some things are dangerous and people need to be properly educated on how to use it and/or the foreman sets up rules that reduces the danger of being used. Unless Florio means it's dangerous because it is defective? In which case... I don't know... get a new and better table saw? Just a weird example that doesn't really pertain.

 

[Prime Time]

What? I don't even get this analogy. It's dangerous because some things are dangerous and people need to be properly educated on how to use it and/or the foreman sets up rules that reduces the danger of being used. Unless Florio means it's dangerous because it is defective? In which case... I don't know... get a new and better table saw? Just a weird example that doesn't really pertain.

Ridiculous analogy by PFT.

Hey Mike, did Sam Bradford bust his knees, Ronnie Lott get the tip of his finger amputated, Joe Theissman get his leg broken, Darryl Stingley get his neck broken, were Mike Utley and Dennis Byrd paralyzed due to their participation in kickoff returns? No? Then you'd better find out what caused those injuries and get busy trying to get those plays banned as well.

Florio is yet another example of an individual who has a social justice agenda and will use his platform to cram it down people's throats while not only ignoring facts but twisting them for his own purposes.

I've come to despise the man but still end up over at PFT each day because it's quick and easy for keeping up on NFL news. Maybe he'll read this and ban me from his site and force me to end my addiction.

 

[Kevin]

Seems to me that very few players get hurt on field goal attempts. How about lining both teams up at the 50 yard line, snap the ball back to the holder and the kicker boots it to a returner around the goal line?

 

[Prime Time]

Excellent and respectful way to post an opposite point of view.

For myself it isn't merely doing away with kickoffs that bothers me. I started watching the NFL in 1960 and have seen the devolution of the game since then. In no particular order:

1. The advantage given to the offense over the defense because it became obvious that ratings were better for higher scoring games.

2. The changing of too many teams from one city to another thus diluting the fanbase.

3. Fantasy football where players' stats become more important than what the team does.

4. Incompetent referees.

5. Constant commercials which interrupt and slow down the game.

6. Players who feel the need to protest their grievances during the national anthem.

7. Thursday night football which pushes players and coaches physical and mental health to the limit.

8. The latest ruling about players not being allowed to lead with their helmets, which btw will be almost impossible to referee fairly and accurately.

9. Thugs and criminals who get away with a slap on the wrist as long as they're still of value to their franchise, while other less talented players get the book thrown at them for the same things.

10. The pending elimination of the kick-off which btw will happen whether I like it or not because that's the way the wind is blowing.

Honestly if it wasn't for the friends I get to interact with here on ROD each day, I wouldn't pay much attention to the NFL at all. I'm all for protecting the players from injuries but football is in itself a dangerous sport and they will never be able to legislate the game so that everyone will be safe without turning it into something unrecognizable.

 

[Mackeyser]

You are correct to a point. But the instant stop is not going to be greatly affected by a better or less rigid helmet. The spinal injuries are not because of a shocking jolt but from a compression that is much slower in comparison - still obviously very fast but momentum stopped more softly may not jar the brain as much but will still result in the compression of the spine with almost no change. The thing I'm talking about is that if you make a safer helmet, that helmet will embolden players to hit harder with it. And if you are using your head for a battering ram at full speed and getting stopped by an opposing force, that compression will only be amplified.

And BTW - making the helmet more slippery would also likely put the neck in very bad angles. Making it more tacky like would be the case with leather or silicon would probably create the same issue in a different way.

Now where I see the benefit of a softer helmet or one that reduces shock is when the player's head hits the ground. No rule will change that and there may be as many injuries caused by the ground as any other contact with a player's head.

I guess, pick your poison.

Well, I think we can all agree that this issue isn't fully addressed by equipment alone.

Ryan Shazier would have jacked himself with any helmet or none at all because his technique was so danged terrible.

The way they teach kids now the Heads Up system which is similar to the Hawk technique that has been taught in Seattle. Here's an article that describes it with some pretty amazing data.

http://www.stack.com/a/the-new-tackling-technique-thats-revolutionizing-football-safety

I think with the rugby-style tackling technique AND the helmet with the silicon matrix, we'd really see a significant enough reduction in concussion that not much more about the game would need to be tweaked.

 

[Mackeyser]

In the not too distant future they will remove the human aspect of the game altogether.

True. And all motorsports as well. They already have a robot that can drive a motorbike around a pro track. Granted, it's not nearly as fast as the fastest rider, yet, (it was actually pretty slow), but think about it.

A robot was able to balance and ride a motorcycle at relatively high speed unassisted. With the speed of improvements, we're going to see robots that far exceed human capacity even in sport in the very near future.

If someone's starting a robot NASCAR, count me in. It's gonna be HUGE!!!

 

[bubbaramfan]

Taking the "FOOT" out of football. Real smart.


I'd like to see a poll done on NFL players to see if they want to eliminate kickoffs.

Robots playing football? I'm sure that will catch on fast. ROD will have lots of new posts too.

 

[Angry Ram]

I've come to despise the man but still end up over at PFT each day because it's quick and easy for keeping up on NFL news. Maybe he'll read this and ban me from his site and force me to end my addiction.

They don't even post news anymore. It's always rumors and made up stories to get clicks. Also, when they post links to radio interviews by players, they will put quote marks around random words to make it as if they said something controversial. It's stupid, and the idiotic comments are just as bad.

I found myself not going to their website, I've unfollowed them on twitter, and uninstalled their app on my phone. When actual news happen, every outlet will have that same story, so why go there? I get my real news from NFL.com, official team websites, and push notifications from NFL mobile.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the benefits of not going to PFT:

• Avoid social justice and politics
  
  
• Avoid non-football BS like lawsuits and court battles
  
  
• Avoid rumors that never amount to anything
  
  
• Avoid Foolio and his sleazy, back-handed, unfunny, and wormy commentary
  
  
• Saves your and my time

 

[Mojo Ram]

If the NFL wants more scoring and less injuries they need to change the kickoff personnel to 8 on 8 or even
7 on 7

Eliminating Kickoffs is just lazy and irresponsible.

 

[dieterbrock]

Eliminating Kickoffs is just lazy and irresponsible.

To me its just insulting. Reads to me like, "hey lets pretend to give a crap about these guys and make some rule that will have no effect, but will make us look good for trying."

 

[Angry Ram]

To me its just insulting. Reads to me like, "hey lets pretend to give a crap about these guys and make some rule that will have no effect, but will make us look good for trying."

On one hand, you have people screaming for change, to protect their players, using evidence from players of yesteryear (often citing that dumb Will Smith movie), and using their SJW criticism police badges or lawsuits against the NFL.

Then when the NFL actually takes steps by implementing rule changes to minimize concussions, penalizing players for hits that remotely look like launching/targeting, etc, it's basically called the pussification of the league.

So this is a question directed at everyone, what is the NFL supposed to do? Make changes, not do anything? Because the latter will be criticized like no other.

I personally don't care either way. League has changed and evolved since it's inception, and this is no different.

 

[dieterbrock]

On one hand, you have people screaming for change, to protect their players, using evidence from players of yesteryear (often citing that dumb Will Smith movie), and using their SJW criticism police badges or lawsuits against the NFL.

Then when the NFL actually takes steps by implementing rule changes to minimize concussions, penalizing players for hits that remotely look like launching/targeting, etc, it's basically called the pussification of the league.

So this is a question directed at everyone, what is the NFL supposed to do? Make changes, not do anything? Because the latter will be criticized like no other.

I personally don't care either way. League has changed and evolved since it's inception, and this is no different.

Not really following. I'm not screaming for change. I'm not saying change isn't necessary. I'm saying that "proposing" to make a rule change (which has little impact on the issue) is merely window dressing and insulting.

 

[LuvMeThemRams]

The "technology" in these bad boys is over 20 years old and was shown to be a huge improvement over regular helmets. Nobody was willing to wear them though.

I can't figure out how these didn't take off.

https://goo.gl/images/uLT4H6

 

[MadGoat]

I can't figure out how these didn't take off.

https://goo.gl/images/uLT4H6

It was definitely the looks. Even if they looked like a rotting mushroom, you'd think that would have been secondary to long-term brain health.

 

[Angry Ram]

Not really following. I'm not screaming for change. I'm not saying change isn't necessary. I'm saying that "proposing" to make a rule change (which has little impact on the issue) is merely window dressing and insulting.

Is it reactive rather than proactive, sure. I'm with you there. But in the big picture it really is a non-win for the NFL.

If concussions are part of the game, and basically unavoidable...should the NFL do nothing, or something? If its' the former they'll get accused of not caring about them, ignoring them, etc. That's what the big legal battle is about.

If they make a rule change or get rid of kickoffs, that'll be criticized too. They have made rules against launching, targeting, using crowns of helmets, etc and of course all the rules that protect the QB. All of that has been met with backlash.

Not sure what the NFL can do...if anything.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Yeah, lets take the "foot" out of football. So what will they call it then?