HawkShack.com

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/278 ... ast-season

""The number went up even with the rule changes the league has made over the past few years," Sills said. "So we know there is more work to be done there."

"Meanwhile, concussions during training camp practices dropped by 33.3 percent, from 45 to 30, after a series of league initiatives that included the elimination of the Oklahoma drill. Reducing practice concussions was one of three keys to the league's "call to action" after the 2017 season."

"There was a reduction in ACL and MCL injuries during the preseason as the league begins work on reducing lower extremity injuries. ACL injuries dropped from 28 to 16, while MCL injuries were down to 29 from 36. Most of the league's lower extremity initiative, which includes a study of footwear and its impact on various playing surfaces, remains in its early stages."

Interesting article, but is there a point to be made? Is your contention that the drastic rule changes over the past few years haven't had a tangible effect on player safety?

On the subject of concussions I’ve already mentioned it but how in the hell did 81 wind up back in the game? It was a scary collision with a player going for the ball who got flagged but it was helmet to jaw and that dude was KOd. He didn’t move for at least 15 seconds . They take him in the tent and he’s making a big catch later in the game. If you’re unconscious you have a concussion, period . What a joke that was . Is it the team doctor who decides that ?

Hawktawk wrote:On the subject of concussions I’ve already mentioned it but how in the hell did 81 wind up back in the game? It was a scary collision with a player going for the ball who got flagged but it was helmet to jaw and that dude was KOd. He didn’t move for at least 15 seconds . They take him in the tent and he’s making a big catch later in the game. If you’re unconscious you have a concussion, period . What a joke that was . Is it the team doctor who decides that ?

Good question. I'm not familiar with their in-game concussion protocol, but that collision was scary.

But as Seahawk fans, we can't complain too much. I remember a game, in Arizona I think, where they put Russell in the tent and after a few seconds, he said to hell with it and ran back onto the field, and no one even tried to stop him.

RiverDog wrote:Interesting article, but is there a point to be made? Is your contention that the drastic rule changes over the past few years haven't had a tangible effect on player safety?

Mixed evidence and we need a longitudinal study but it would be very maddening if in a few years the league decided they messed up the game for nothing.

trents wrote:Mixed evidence and we need a longitudinal study but it would be very maddening if in a few years the league decided they messed up the game for nothing.

Thanks for clearing that up. It wasn't apparent to me what your point was.

They had to do something. Lawsuits were and are looming. Participation rates are down as the younger generation are holding their kids out of contact sports. Player safety is the biggest threat to the viability of the sport.

Having said that, I don't think they've got it right, that they need to do more communicating between the people with access to multiple camera angles in the replay center and the refs on the field. I do think that they've gone overboard in some situations and that some of these rule changes are motivated by money more than it is player safety, particularly some of the insane rules and calls they're making to protect quarterbacks.