A particularly vicious weekend of NFL action resulted in an unusually strong and abrupt response by League officials. $175,000 of fines were levied against three individuals coming out of this weekend’s games. The League has also announced that it will immediately begin to suspend players for flagrant hits. Ray Anderson, NFL football operations executive was first to get on this weekends hits. He stated that those who have a reputation for delivering the most violent and egregious hits will be dealt with most severely. Anderson most importantly said, “we are trying to get our players to not initiate contact on defenseless players including defenseless receivers to the head or neck area with the forearm the shoulder or the helmet. We’re trying to get that out of the game.”
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Head related injuries reported to the NFL through week six:
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2007— 27
2008— 27
2009— 24
2010— 46
What do these numbers tell us? Have head injuries nearly doubled from last season? After last weekend’s deluge of guys violently going down, it might seem that way. What is far more likely is that the message of attention to head injuries has been received. While we have seen many brutal plays made against several notable players, the increase in reported head injuries is likely nothing more than players, coaching staffs, and medical personnel understanding the significance of this new era we find ourselves in. The numbers point to a system that is working.
Despite things, from my perspective, improving, there are players who still don’t get it. Such is the case of the Patriots defensive back, Brandon Meriweather, launching himself like a human torpedo at defenseless tight end, Todd Heap‘s head. It was stated that that play invigorated the defense and contributed to New England’s dramatic come from behind victory. Meriweather finds himself today $50,000 lighter in the wallet as the League came down hard on him and two others. The League did not, however, follow through with Monday’s threats to suspend players retroactively.
The fines levied, while nearly 10 times what is normal for such offenses, will be all the punishment for now. Suspensions are promised to be the new status quo going forward, beginning this weekend. Meriweather, still defiant on Monday declared during his weekly appearance on a Boston sports radio station; “I’m going to aggressive, point blank. I won’t change my game, period.” Given that this fine is one tenth of his annual salary, perhaps he will now reconsider his stance. Given that it is common to view plays that “jack-up” another guy as invigorating an entire team, it will be interesting to see how ejection of that offending player might now affects his team.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker, James Harrison, a repeat offender, received the weekend’s largest fine, $75,000. He was not only unapologetic about his flagrant on-field acts of violence this past Sunday, but defended his actions stating, “it is my job to hurt people.” It will be interesting if he learns his lesson or is in line for a subsequent suspension. Harrison’s head coach, Mike Tomlin stated, “We have an obligation to provide as safe a game as we can… I’m a proponent of doing whatever rule adjustments we do to make the game safe.” I am pretty sure the league will win this battle of player safety and side with the more sensible Coach Tomlin.
Another Harrison, Rodney Harrison, passionately spoke about the present state of the League on NBC’s Football Night in America broadcast. He is very supportive of dramatically stricter enforcement of the rules and even strengthening them. Harrison, as a player was fined over $200,000 and was eventually suspended for helmet-to-helmet activity. He insists that the best way to get player’s attention about this is to take them away from their team and the thing they love most.
Head injuries will NEVER be eliminated from the game. The game of football, by its very nature, is a violent game. Men condition and train to do as Baltimore Raven’s Ray Lewis says, “hit someone real, real hard.” The ideal should be elimination of all unnecessary injuries. The men who play professional football would have it no other way. They play the game because they love it and part of the love of the game is the gladiatorial nature of it. Inherent risk is part of the glory associated with being in the NFL. And long may it live!
I completely agree with your points about how the numbers have most likely doubled due to awareness and I think the league is headed in the right direction for player safety. I can’t believe, however, that they fined Dunta. I may be biased as a Falcons fan, but, in looking at the hit, I couldn’t see an intent to injure, a defenseless receiver, or a helmet to helmet. I’m all for players safety, but I think that was just an unfortunate situation for both players and that Dunta shouldn’t have a hefty fine if a fine at all.
@ Blake. That is why I left Danta out of this article. I believe that cooler heads will prevail and that he will win him appeal. I would be shocked to find out he loses. He was more concerned today with his reputation being disparaged than any amount of money. That shows the class of an individual.
I agree with both of the above post. Robinson should have not been fined in the first place. It was a one of the hardest hits I have seen in many years. I extremely dislike the fact that all the sports networks that I have seen ( especially the four letter network ) are making Robinson out to be a dirty player. I can’t believe some people are calling for mr Robinson to be suspended for the remainder of the season.
UNBELIVABLE!!
If the NFL commish is so concerned about safety why would he force the defensive players in the league to change their play( force them to think twice ) in the middle of the season. The commish is putting the players in bad situations. If he is really concerned how about better defining the rules for example a ( clear cut definition for a defenseless receive )
Jeff and Steven, You guys are in the know.. When will Mr. Goodell introduce those belts with the sparkling ribbons hanging from them?? Will skirts be coming soon?
It’s football the men know what the risk are. LET THEM PLAY!!
I realy don’t know what to think about hits like this. I’ve heard about former players who have trouble remembering their own names, and these usually are not the guys making the millions. James Harrison’s comments after the game sounded like he’s not happy until he ends a players career and that seems to be ok, if you read posts to similar articals. Yet Jack Tatum took the blame for ending a career and it followed him for the rest of his time in the league. Deion Sanders always caught crap for not making the big hit but he might have been the best cornerback I’ve ever seen play. Is it ok to injure a player and say “oh well, thats just part of the game”? I want to pay my money to see superstars like Moss and Reevis, you know the talent and skill that seems to take a back burner to the kind of big hits and bad tackling that left the likes of Cribbs lying motionless on the field.
Coming from a country where a different brand of football is played without padding or helmets (and slightly smaller dudes), it amazes me to see nfl players lead into tackles with their heads. It’s just crazy, and frankly stinks of bad technique.
Clean, hard-hitting tackling can be coached, and can become part of a player’s muscle memory in the heat of the moment.
For people like James Harrison to play the way that they do and then cry foul when their style of play may become illegal is immature. Learn how to tackle properly: Lead with the shoulder, not the head, and aim for the waist. Knocking people off their feet isn’t difficult, and doesn’t need to involve hits above the shoulders or below the waist.
I believe that there is a similar issue in the UK with our egg shaped ball game. Players are now getting so big and fast that tackles are harder and injuries more likely and this is in a game with no padding.
If a player advocates that his ‘job is to hurt people’ then he is in the wrong profession and action should be taken against players with that sort of attitude. This is supposed to be a sport, not some form of unarmed gladitorial combat. Players are having their careers ended by bad tackles. Would this be tolerated in any other place of work? The league and the organisations themselves have a duty of care for the players.
Suspension for dangerous tackling should be a given, but there should also be meaningful fines for making comments that bring the game into disrepute, not just on the player, but on the coaches and organisations that cultivate a culture in which that sort of attitude thrives.
Nice article Jeff. Appreciate the time and effort that you guys put into keeping us informed and entertained.
James Harrison said that he tries to HURT people, but not to INJURE them. There is a clear distinction!
Look at all the football games, everybody tries to hurt someone. Look at the way they fight in the trenches, look at the RB’s lowering their head and go against DBs or LBs.
Look at the Saints last year going after Brett Favre.
Football is a game where you want to hurt someone. Not injure someone. But hit him.
So I do not have a problem with James Harrison at all, and there are former players who even call the fine for Harrison unfair! (e.g. Ross Tucker).
everybody talking / thinking about that topic should watch that:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-playbook/09000d5d81b75bc6/Playbook-Were-some-hits-legal?module=HP_video
and I need to say, that second Harrison hit was close.
I’m an Eagles fan and I don’t think the Robinson hit was illeagal or dirty. When Robinson is going for the hit, he’s aiming for Jackson’s midriff but Jackson comes back down and because he is not the tallest reciever in the league, the hit becomes higher up his body. Sheldon Brown’s hit on Reggie Bush and Asante’s hit on McCluster were both big hits and not too disimilar as they didn’t have much time to prepare for the hit.
Harrison proved how uneducated he is in this area by saying that concussed people ‘just go to sleep’ and are fine afterwards. A cheap shot like Meriweather’s may make receivers alligator arm a couple of balls when they are around but the cost to players health isn’t worth it.
How does the NFL expect defenders to make every adjustment according to what the offensive player does. Harrison’s hit on Massaquoi was hard but Massaquoi lowered his head and body to brace himself. By telling players they can’t go high will just make people start taking players out by the legs and even former NFL WR Chris Carter said, he’d rather be hit high than low. In my opinion, the only hit that was “illegal” was Meriweather’s because it was obviously on purpose.
Interesting article, thanks Jeff. I wonder if you (or anyone else) has access to the NFL Rules and can tell us what the laws actually are in relation to these matters? (I still don’t understand why the NFL doesn’t publish its full rule book on the website). It’s hard to come to a personal opinion without knowing what is offically allowed.
@ Seidinho – I think I understand the distinction you and James Harrison are making between hurt and injure (although where do you draw the line – is knocking someone out hurting or injuring them?), but it’s the intent that worries me. His job is NOT to hurt people. As a defensive player, his job is to break up passes, force fumbles, stop yards being made. It is accepted that in trying to do those things, within the rules and despite all the protection worn, then sometime his opponents are going to get hurt. That’s the risk of the sport. Of course, as a defender you want to hit as hard as you (legally) can, impose youreself on the opposition, make them hesitate about coming your way. But it should not be your intent to harm someone.
Read the article and as an Australian my comments wont hold much weight since I have never played the game. It is accepted that the protection used in the NFL is now being used as a weapon for the defensive players. The thing that as an ex Rugby League player and avid watcher of both codes is the fact that he lead with his head and under current rules and the neck braces in the NFL padding this is acceptable but doesn’t look good. Should the league retroactively (not so much penalty on the field unless it really obvious) use something along the lines of if you lower your head and lead with it and the helmet makes the initial contact and I do not care if it is head, chest, bicep, arm or where ever, as soon as the eyes drop flag thrown and a significant fine & or suspension is issued. I get that sometimes you can’t get the head out of the way you get duked out of your cleats and can’t do a thing about it but the lowering of the head is what makes it look worse. Shouldn’t the DB’s especially since it is all moving at huge speed be aiming to have the head pass to the side of the player and its the shoulder or chest that takes the hit not the head.
As an Eagles fan I agree with everyone Dunte Robinson’s hit under the laws of the game as explained on NFL network (thank god some of the video goes up) leaves me with the opinion that it is legal. Although listening to the Rich Eisen podcast that was being argued due to where he ended up. I think that DeSean Jackson was defenseless but the shot was to the chest. I just hated that it was the crown of the helmet that made the initial impact and the DB didn’t have his eyes up. It looks bad and I personally think that should be removed from the game to but I haven’t played and could be impossible.
The big hit wont be removed nor has it been from Rugby league where any impact of arms to the head is generally punished by a penalty (head clashes are deemed accidental and you cross your fingers for no knock outs). I know the games are different but hopefully the NFL will look at how other sports protect their players as well as lean on the wisdom of those in the game to see what can be tweaked to protect the safety of players whilst retaining the ability for DB’s to blow guys up when they enter their zone .
BTW Cotswold Eagle great to see you missed your Eagles views and enjoyed reading your stuff in the old message board
Cosign with fellow Australian auspar. I guarantee the head to head and the severe head injuries will be greatly reduced if the helmets are eliminated and maybe the pads as well. Aussie Rules and Rugby (the father of the NFL) are two of the most masculine games on the planet with tackling a plenty and the players wear no/little helmets and no/little pads.
To keep the helmets and pads is to embolden ‘devastating’ hits and puts marketing over player safety.
@auspar – Good to see you too! Unfortunately, the guys took the forums away when they updated the website, so we don’t get as much chance to chat in Rants and Raves-land any more. Not sure that either Jeff or Steven will post an entry that will give us an excuse to talk about the Ashes next month!!
To be honest I think the chances of it will be minimal t best but hey we can always copy and tangent into the ashes. While they may be in London baby around the Ashes explosion who knows but worst comes to worst we will find a way to talk trash and enjoy the trenches that is England – Australian cricket relations but at least we have a common passion the awesome Philadelphia Eagles.
I miss the forums, too.
But lets be honest, during the last year of it, there was pretty much nothing going on. I tried to encourage some “game day chatting”, but people just didnt respond.
A lot of other threads just went unnoticed as well. sadly.
Good article from La Canfora on this topic (the hits in the game, not the loss of the forum!).
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81b7c9c2/article/football-is-dangerous-but-it-doesnt-have-to-be-senseless
Keep your head on a swivel.