NFL To Suspend Players For "Devastating Hits"?

[BirdzEyeView]

Just got word last night that the NFL will begin to crack down on "helmet-to-helmet" and "DEVASTATING hits" (ie. the hit Dunta Robinson put on Desean Jackson) effective immediately! I'm OK with cracking down on the "helmet-to-helmet" hits, but the DEVASTATING HITS??? That's just a part of FOOTBALL! Guys DO NOT have to play in the league, if they choose not to be subjected to the harsh nature of the game...It's "optional".

They might as well just take the helmets away and give these guys pom-poms! What do you guys think?

Edited October 19, 2010 by BirdzEyeView

[Mr Pickle1]

If they start suspending players for viciously hard, but clean hits, I will stop watching. I'll support the Falcons and all, but unless they make the playoffs, I have better things to do with my time than watch a pussified version of football.

[Statick]

This is very bad for the league.

Mark it down. The P*ssy Rule is in effect. The deathknell of the NFL.

[BirdzEyeView]

If they start suspending players for viciously hard, but clean hits, I will stop watching. I'll support the Falcons and all, but unless they make the playoffs, I have better things to do with my time than watch a pussified version of football.

I agree 100%!!

[BirdzEyeView]

This is very bad for the league.

Mark it down. The P*ssy Rule is in effect. The deathknell of the NFL.

Once again, I agree wholeheartedly!!!

People pay their hard earned money to see the "big hits"...It's ALWAYS been a part of the game on every level! The NFL is REALLY having a "knee jerk" reaction from all the big hits this past Sunday. WHY NOW??? Who came up with this decision ANYWAY??

My theory is: IF IT AIN'T BROKE, THEN DON'T TRY TO FIX IT!!

[freebird310]

I watched a game of the Lingerie football league the other nite. Those girls are tougher than the NFL at this point .....I think I'll start watching them ... They actually play in their underwear .....

[Dominique is Manufique]

the NFFL: the National Flag Football League.

[Dr. Billings]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

[Propane]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

so what is the defense doing while all these points are getting scored?

[Xnex]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

No.... there isn't.

Why not try to prevent boxers from hitting one another in the head and face? Doing that would be about as smart as trying to eliminate viscious contact between two opposing players.

Stop the obvious and very dangerous occurence of players launching themselves like a missle into another player. The player for the Patriots should be fined and when the new rule is put in place he should be suspended if he ever does it again. But D. Robinson's hit is and should always be totally legal.

[freebird310]

I watched a game of the Lingerie football league the other nite. Those girls are tougher than the NFL at this point .....I think I'll start watching them ... They actually play in their underwear .....

[Mr Pickle1]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

If they want to cut that down, that's fine. But I'm not as interested in watching it, AND they should get substantially less money.

If the NFL is fine with lower revenues, viewership, and the players will take less salary, they should go right ahead

[Mr Pickle1]

These are grown men. They can make a cost/benefit analysis whether it is worth their health to make millions and play in the NFL. All have decided it is worth it. The NFL doesn't need to nursemaid them

Make ALL the safety improvements you can without making it a less physical game.

I'd love them to make safer helmets, pads, nutrition, techniques, so and so forth....but stop changing the rules about how you can hit guys. It is diluting the product.

Today's NFL is less entertaining than it was 5-10 years ago.

[madman88]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

thats the risk u take for playing this sport, noone is making u play this game, its your choice, so dnt ruin a good game becuase of ppl who aren't even PLAYING to judge how to play the game.... this rule WILL disrespect the game and it's integrity of it.... im sure all the ppl who came before are just fed up with how the NFL has become.... how do u try to take out the phsycality of a physical sport??????

[sourdiesal]

This is very bad for the league.

Mark it down. The P*ssy Rule is in effect. The deathknell of the NFL.

Yep...This will harm the league much more than the Vicks, Pacmans and Big Ben's with their off field issues.. Fans will accept violence outside of the lines, but when you try to take it away from inside the lines, you are making your product irrelevant....

[Tootie Quivers]

I agree with Cowherd. Cash is king. The NFL is doing this to protect the ratings. Most people don't want to see a player die on the field. Women, the fastest growing demo in the NFL, will run away if the NFL gets too violent.

[blackredfellow]

the NFFL: the National Flag Football League.

Yep, get ready for it.

[BirdzEyeView]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

I'm agreement with the league's attempt to "protect it's investment/players". HOWEVER, the underlined portion you've mentioned above FAVORS THE OFFENSE, which is so "one-sided"! You might as well just tell the defensive players to stand in one spot...better yet, just get off the field entirely.

Look, professional football is a "grown man's sport". As most have mentioned already, NO ONE MAKES YOU SIGN A CONTRACT to play in the NFL...IT'S A CHOICE. "Big collisions" are a part of the game and, believe it or not, are actually rare in their occurrence, when you tally up all the plays run throughout the league on a weekly basis.

I TRULY believe the league is taking a HUGE risk at loosing a vast portion of it's fan base with an IMMEDIATE enforcement of this new "devastating hit" rule. Not only that, but where was the PLAYERS' INPUT in all of this??? Shouldn't they have a say so, since they are the one's who will be effected by it???

This is a classic example of why "competition" is a good thing in business. The the league is allowed to get away with such crap because their is no competition currently that can threaten its business model and/or revenue...

Edited October 19, 2010 by BirdzEyeView

[AtlFan1971]

Listen guys, this is a very dangerous sport. Yes, we want to see the spectacular, the ball separating hit, the collision that makes you say, OOOhhhhh! However, after the hit is over what becomes of the two players? When Dunta and DeSean were on the ground, you could have heard a pin drop. People began to pray. You could see the concern on both team's faces. It was scary. This should not be people, it's only a game.

There must be a way to curtail the many jaw breaking plays and keep the excitement in the game. I want to see a long bomb to a streaking receiver, I want to see a magnificent cut by a running back, I want to see an interception ran back for a touchdown, I want to see a kick off returned for 100+ yards and a touchdown. Every play mentioned does not require a hit that will prevent a player from playing the following week. In fact players will take more chances if the risk of their career ending was eliminated from the game. JMHO

I want to see those big plays you mention, but I also want to see my DB be able to make a play that keeps the other team from scoring or stops a drive. Hard hits cause fumbles - why did 3 or 4 guys immediately go after the ball once Jackson dropped the ball - he had taken 2 steps so to say this was a defenseless player is pure and utter BS. When a running back lowers his head to get through a hole, is he going to be flagged because heaven forbid his helmet hits a defensive players helmet and they both get concussions? I saw some plays yesterday that looked intentional but even Andy Reid said that he thought this was a bang bang play and that he did not think it was an intentional hit. At some point you have to let them play football!

The game you described in your post sounds very much like a game of flag football! What is the saying a good defense wins games, well not if they have to play this new version of pansy football! When talk of suspension or fining a player that makes a play like Robinson did - you have to ask what is this league we all loved coming too?

[AtlFan1971]

OMG player #2 is launching herself at that player - suspension and a fine of $25K is deemed necessary

[BirdzEyeView]

OMG player #2 is launching herself at that player - suspension and a fine of $25K is deemed necessary

LMAO !!

Is THIS what we're gonna be watching on Sunday's now???

Edited October 19, 2010 by BirdzEyeView

[Bryant Denny]

This is very bad for the league.

Mark it down. The P*ssy Rule is in effect. The deathknell of the NFL.

Agree 100%. This is the NFL for craps shake, no one said it was a safe sport and players know that when they sign up. If you are a 160 lb wide receiver, you might want to think twice before running routes in the middle of the field. That hit was more on the QB and play caller than Robinson IMO.

[Z Man]

I am just proud that MY defense hits so freaking hard the entire NFL may change the rules to protect players from MY guys....who come to PLAY!

[apl2g]

Horrible for the league. Let these men play. The NFL makes millions if not billions of dollars why can't they improve the equipment instead of watering down the game!

[bige]

Saw on KFFL where suspensions to start week 7.So I guess Robinson is OK.Except for the fine for the flag thrown by the overzealous ref.They could get him for the incidental helmet contact maybe,but that would be stretching it.