Will New Helmet Technology Keep Devonta Concussion Free?

[PokerSteve]

The latest news about Antonio Brown basically threatening to quit the NFL if forced to wear a new version of helmet, apparently designed more for player safety than for good vision, points up the pros and cons of changes being made which will in some cases limit their functionality from a football standpoint. Tom Brady is another non-WR who is no fan of the new helmets. He had started last season with a new helmet, but went back to his old under the grandfather clause which allowed the non-approved helmets to be worn until the end of last season. He stated getting used to the new helmet with a narrower field of vision was very difficult.

Over the past couple of seasons the league and the player's union have been doing scientific testing and evaluating all helmets currently in use, dividing them into three groups: Green was given to helmets which statistically showed they were the least susceptible to incur head injury. Yellow helmets were not quite as safe. Red helmets were so far into the dangerous or injury prone category they have been banned.

But let's get to the positive which directly affects the Falcons and the team's chances of returning to the SB this season. The results of the helmet research and elimination of the most dangerous helmets resulted in a reduction in the number of concussions in the NFL in 2018 from 281 to 214 last season, a 24-percent decrease, a significant reduction. Falcon star RB Devonta Freeman suffered a concussion in 2015 and two in 2017, leaving many fearing his head-lowered rushing style could lead to another, possibly career-threatening repeat.

There are obviously some problems with the new helmet design in terms of limiting a player's peripheral vision. Free is probably not going to have the range of vision he's used to having, which will cut down on the time he has to react and make his cuts and jukes, but more importantly, he stands a better chance of avoiding a concussion with the safer helmets and hopefully will be a key part of the Atlanta Falcons getting their first SB win in 2019. Not at all sure we can get there without him, so props to the NFL for trying to improve safety for all the players.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/12/nfl-players-including-tom-brady-will-have-be-approved-helmets-this-season/?noredirect=on

 

[falken]

Is it me or does limited vision sound the opposite of safer?

[kiwifalcon]

No helmet will I think it’ll limit damage but it’s much like guaranteeing safety in race cars with helmet devices and a like it’s just doing there best to limit the risk.

Seriously I don’t know how Rugby and rugby league have survived for so long without these issues.I guess it goes back to teaching the basics better from an earlier age.

Who knows.

[PokerSteve]

1 hour ago, falken said:

Is it me or does limited vision sound the opposite of safer?

Probably same question AB and Brady are asking. It's almost inevitable that having very little peripheral vision is going to result in more than one WR and QB will be getting clocked and injured from the "blind side" in the future.

We'll have to wait and see just how big of an impact this will have from an overall safety standpoint. There may have to be a few adjustments to the original adjustments to get everything optimal for safety and performance.

[MAD597]

Probably not, but if it's not another concusion then a knee or groin injury will probably do him in. He's a time bomb and we should very much not depend on him to stay healthy.

[Atl Falcon]

4 hours ago, MAD597 said:

Probably not, but if it's not another concusion then a knee or groin injury will probably do him in. He's a time bomb and we should very much not depend on him to stay healthy.

Well....ok

[brewman]

5 hours ago, kiwifalcon said:

No helmet will I think it’ll limit damage but it’s much like guaranteeing safety in race cars with helmet devices and a like it’s just doing there best to limit the risk.

Seriously I don’t know how Rugby and rugby league have survived for so long without these issues.I guess it goes back to teaching the basics better from an earlier age.

Who knows.

I would imagine that since rugby players don't wear helmets they are much more conscious about keeping their head out of the way.

Edited August 11, 2019 by brewman

[octoslash]

1 minute ago, brewman said:

I would imagine that since rugby players don't wear helmets they are much more conscious about keeping their head out of the 

Also most rugby players don't have brains to begin with.

[jlrfalcon]

The problem with concussions is that they are so easy to fake - I have wondered if it was coincidental that Freeman started having them pop up twice in 2017 after signing a big contract and having a relatively injury-free start to his career.

I am not saying that Freeman did or did not fake them but the guy is like a ticking bomb where another would put him out for good.  This is why it is so important we evaluate our young RB's in this preseason.

Freeman-54.7% chance of injury in 2019:

https://sportsinjurypredictor.com/player/devonta-freeman/7002 

[Faithful Falcon]

6 hours ago, kiwifalcon said:

No helmet will I think it’ll limit damage but it’s much like guaranteeing safety in race cars with helmet devices and a like it’s just doing there best to limit the risk.

Seriously I don’t know how Rugby and rugby league have survived for so long without these issues.I guess it goes back to teaching the basics better from an earlier age.

Who knows.

Probably that Barbarian Wow Factor. Trying to knock someone's head off gets you props.

[Atlwings]

They keep changing so much,you're gonna get hurt in football period it's a physical sport,all these new rules and equipment is ruining the game.Imagine how Jerry rice numbers would look if the DB couldn't touch him after a certain amount of yards

[PokerSteve]

15 minutes ago, Atlwings said:

They keep changing so much,you're gonna get hurt in football period it's a physical sport,all these new rules and equipment is ruining the game.Imagine how Jerry rice numbers would look if the DB couldn't touch him after a certain amount of yards

Dude I'm old school. About as old school as you can get in fact, lol. But even I know there's no going back to the old days and the old ways. Too many player's lives have been cut short or the quality of their life after football has been effectively destroyed as a result of CTE.

I love me some physical football, but I don't want any man's life to be ruined for the sake of Sunday afternoon entertainment. I have to respect the efforts of the NFL and NFLPA to make things safer.

[NWFALCON]

I’m confused. Are you saying the helmet will prevent concussions? Or that the helmet will lead to so many concussions that we will starting calling Devonte, “Concussion Free”?

[Dungeon Family]

4 hours ago, NWFALCON said:

I’m confused. Are you saying the helmet will prevent concussions? Or that the helmet will lead to so many concussions that we will starting calling Devonte, “Concussion Free”?

[Knight of God]

4 hours ago, PokerSteve said:

Dude I'm old school. About as old school as you can get in fact, lol. But even I know there's no going back to the old days and the old ways. Too many player's lives have been cut short or the quality of their life after football has been effectively destroyed as a result of CTE.

I love me some physical football, but I don't want any man's life to be ruined for the sake of Sunday afternoon entertainment. I have to respect the efforts of the NFL and NFLPA to make things safer.

I had my misgivings at first, but I’m good now.

[vel]

9 hours ago, PokerSteve said:

Dude I'm old school. About as old school as you can get in fact, lol. But even I know there's no going back to the old days and the old ways. Too many player's lives have been cut short or the quality of their life after football has been effectively destroyed as a result of CTE.

I love me some physical football, but I don't want any man's life to be ruined for the sake of Sunday afternoon entertainment. I have to respect the efforts of the NFL and NFLPA to make things safer.

Agreed. Having had just one concussion at the high school level, I can't imagine the impact of multiple at the NFL level. That one thing changed my life. Luckily not drastically, but very much so did. 

[TsuTsu]

Nothing will keep people concussion free in football unless dudes start playing in hamster balls filled with pillows.

[Falcanuck]

Helmets literally cannot prevent concussions. Some may be better at protecting the head, but helmets have very little to do with preventing concussions. 

[Monolith2001]

My son loved his Speedflex when he played with a couple years ago.  Good to see it's still highly rated.

[MAD597]

10 hours ago, Atlwings said:

They keep changing so much,you're gonna get hurt in football period it's a physical sport,all these new rules and equipment is ruining the game.Imagine how Jerry rice numbers would look if the DB couldn't touch him after a certain amount of yards

Football is a flawed game at this point, if you make it safe then it is boring, if you don't make it safe then it's players end up brain damaged. So either the games popularity will go down due to rules changes or the games will be shut down due to health concerns. The long term outlook for the NFL is not good.

[Statick]

Technology, Shmecknology...all Free needs to do is to stop initiating contact with his helmet when finishing his runs. 

If his talks with Warrick Dunn has any sway on him, he'd better get his *** down.

[ATLSlobberKnockers]

22 hours ago, brewman said:

I would imagine that since rugby players don't wear helmets they are much more conscious about keeping their head out of the way.

That and they dont colide with the same force. They arent using 100% quick twitch fibers for 7-10 seconds tyen resting. Those guys are pretty winded when tackling. But id say your right. Helmets just give players "weapons"

[TheFatboi]

13 hours ago, vel said:

Agreed. Having had just one concussion at the high school level, I can't imagine the impact of multiple at the NFL level. That one thing changed my life. Luckily not drastically, but very much so did. 

You know vel I know I’ve been concussed in a game before. I shook it off and got back in the huddle dizzy as h3ll. I did not do a good play fake on the next play lol. It took some time for me get my wits back but I finished the game. If I was concussed that definitely was the game. 

[dodge_birds_fan]

On 8/10/2019 at 9:54 PM, brewman said:

I would imagine that since rugby players don't wear helmets they are much more conscious about keeping their head out of the way.

This is what I've heard.

[ATLSlobberKnockers]

On 8/10/2019 at 10:15 PM, jlrfalcon said:

The problem with concussions is that they are so easy to fake - I have wondered if it was coincidental that Freeman started having them pop up twice in 2017 after signing a big contract and having a relatively injury-free start to his career.

I am not saying that Freeman did or did not fake them but the guy is like a ticking bomb where another would put him out for good.  This is why it is so important we evaluate our young RB's in this preseason.

Freeman-54.7% chance of injury in 2019:

https://sportsinjurypredictor.com/player/devonta-freeman/7002 

 No they arent easy to.fake if you havent had one. What do you think they do in the evaluation tent? You feel dizzy? Your head hurt? Ok tyen you had a concussion.?

jesus Murphy