NFL to running backs: keep your head up

Trent Richardson might as well retire if this becomes a rule.

 

Franco Harris was ahead of his time

 

You can legislate instinct, it just takes a while- see seat belts, littering etc.

 

Those are Baron type analogies. You can't simply change athletic instincts like you can clipping in a seat belt or littering. The game is so fast that running backs have split seconds to make decisions, if they hesitate they are going to get killed.

 

Agrees.

 

So one of the iconic plays in football history would now be a 15 yard penalty.

 

Bo Jackson's run over the Boz? 15 yards.

(Sorry, the volume wasn't working for me and I couldn't find another clip of it.)

Then again, the Marion Motley touchdown run at the end of this would have been blown dead when he lost his helmet.

 

I've heard a lot of NFL RB's and receivers say that they would rather get hit in the head that have tacklers aim low and take out their knees.

Hopefully the owners do no accept the recommendation for this new rule. It goes against the natural instinct of a running back, will likely lead to more knee and rib injuries and a lot more fumbles.

 

Not sure those comments by NFL running backs and receivers are relevant. It's not like current players aren't taught the dangers of concussions or how to properly protect themselves. They choose to risk it. And given the choice of risking their long-term health or their careers, many would think only of the short term.

The point is to make the game as safe as possible even for the guys who are too stupid to keep it in perspective.

 

Matt Forte comes out against rule change:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000151439/article/matt-forte-tweets-proposed-rule-change-is-absurd

 

Good for 22.