Video message sent to all NFL teams

[Batman]

NFL.com news: NFL's video message to players on hits: 'You are on notice'

Ray Anderson, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, tells players "you are on notice" in a video stressing the league's commitment to enforcing punishment for aggressive hits to the head and neck area.

"You must know that player safety is our highest priority," Anderson says in the video, which the league released to all teams Wednesday and required coaches to show their players. "We've said publicly, and we will repeat to all of you, we will not apologize for or be defensive about aggressive enforcement to protect players from illegal and potentially life-altering blows to the head and neck."

The NFL's video, along with a letter from Commissioner Roger Goodell, was sent in the wake of three fines totaling $175,000 to players found to have targeted opponents in the head or neck over the weekend. The video replays examples of "flagrant violations," for which the league says it will begin to suspend players without pay.

The video also demonstrates the proper way to take down an opponent.

"A player is accountable for what he hits," Anderson says. "Illegal techniques must be removed from our game. We all accept that football is a physical and tough game, but players must play under control. If a player launching into an opponent misses his aiming point, he will nevertheless be held responsible for what he hits."

nfl.com

I guess the NFL think Meriweather was the worst offender this week nice to see page get shown making a clean hit at the end even if at KC

 

[Lansdowne]

I hate this. I'm all for looking out for a player's health, but I mean damn. How come all this wasn't an issue before this season? It's like the quote I saw in CHFF: "Football was invented by a mean son of a ***** and that's how it's meant to be played."

 

[signbabybrady]

You wanna know the funny thing about those clips.

Most of the illegal hits if not all occur when the WR has leaped.

Most of the legal hits except one occur when the WR has not lept.

I think the WRs need to be responsible for themselves also.



I think clearly penalty and fines should be levied for helmet to helmet in any instance except the ball carriers but if the fines are to big this could really effect the game.

IMO you need to have first offense leanancy and you should put in a system that for every illegal hit or any fineable rules violation your fines infinitely double.

I dont want players out there scared to tackle or waiting for WR to land before they do and playing on eggshells.

 

[cloud34]

Player safety is # 1 priority, yet they want to expand to 18 games....Make sense????

 

[signbabybrady]

One last point and it was made by an analyst I hate Schlereth....

He talked about how there are currently 135 Workers Comp claims from NFL players that the NFL is fighting to not pay out. They are fining talking about player safety and yet they dont care about them when they are hurt.

Not sure if he mentioned it too but the NFLPA has been fighting for better benefits for its retired players for years too.

Schlereth also got into to the split second moments that these plays happen occur in and how the defender can have a player lined up for a clean hit and the player will react to protect themselves and sometimes wind up lining up helmet to helmet contact and there is no way you can do anything else in a split second as a defender.

 

[reflexblue]

The NFL front office Needs an Enema. Just enforce the rule concerning flagrant hits. If a player is seen hitting someone Brandon Meriweather style, flag them and suspend them. Andersons a Clown, he needs to be replaced by somebody that ACTUALLY played the game

 

[Batman]

Player safety is # 1 priority, yet they want to expand to 18 games....Make sense????

Funny thing is Goddell was asked this very question

Mr. Goodell, You have stated player safety is one your highest priorities. Why then do you insist on extending the regular season by two games? There is a huge difference between meaningless exhibition games regular season games.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL.com
Unfortunately, players get injured in preseason games. You always have to do what you can to make the game safer for the players. That includes the offseason, preseason, regular season and postseason. We are working closely with our players to do it right. We're not proposing a change in the 20-game format, but fans have been outspoken in a lack of interest with our preseason. It's similar to what we did in 1978 when we went from 14 regular season and 6 preseason to the existing 16 and 4.

 

[Nikolai]

Not sure if this couldn't have waited for the offseason.

 

[Joker]

Of course it could have, but Ratdell saw his chance to further HIS agenda of wussification and has leapt at it.

He HAS TO GO...for the good of and future of NFL football.

 

[RayClay]

Am I alone in agreeing with the league taking a stand when they see a problem instead of waiting until someone gets paralyzed?

If launching, spearing, leading with the helmet are noted, it's a good time to take a stand IMO.

 

[TriplecHamp]

************ just give receivers flags. As a qb you are taught not to leave your receivers out to dry...not anymore.

 

[MassPats38]

Am I alone in agreeing with the league taking a stand when they see a problem instead of waiting until someone gets paralyzed?

If launching, spearing, leading with the helmet are noted, it's a good time to take a stand IMO.

There is nothing wrong with enforcing illegal contact rules, if that is all this is. The added language of "play under control" and the previous reference to "devastating hits" is what I find troubling given the speed at which the game is played. A player can only control himself, not the movement of his target.

This will be nothing significant if it is merely an escalation of punishment for specific illegal hits that are flagged as such on the field. My concern is the stuffed suits will play armchair quarterback on hits that aren't flagged on some ill-defined subjective standard and make defensive players gun shy. Little steps like that change the nature of the sport, and this sport is intended to be violent.

 

[TriplecHamp]

There is nothing wrong with enforcing illegal contact rules, if that is all this is. The added language of "play under control" and the previous reference to "devastating hits" is what I find troubling given the speed at which the game is played. A player can only control himself, not the movement of his target.

This will be nothing significant if it is merely an escalation of punishment for specific illegal hits that are flagged as such on the field. My concern is the stuffed suits will play armchair quarterback on hits that aren't flagged on some ill-defined subjective standard and make defensive players gun shy. Little steps like that change the nature of the sport, and this sport is intended to be violent.

EXACTLY, If a receiver leaves his feet to catch a ball as a defender comes flying in and the receiver is on his down as the ball arrives and the defender arrives causing a shoulder to the head and suspensions start getting handed out it makes the league look like a joke.

 

[Joker]

Am I alone in agreeing with the league taking a stand when they see a problem instead of waiting until someone gets paralyzed?

If launching, spearing, leading with the helmet are noted, it's a good time to take a stand IMO.

I usually don't disagree with you....year after year since we've begun posting here....if Rozelle thought there was a problem he would have done what you suggest they do now when Tatum crippled Stingley.

What I do NOT want is Roger Goodell making any more determinations about the future of this league ,that corrupts, bastardizes or otherwise make a mutation of the sport that was brought out of the dark ages and made a modern day juggernaut of entertainment by Rozelle.

 

[Batman]

Am I alone in agreeing with the league taking a stand when they see a problem instead of waiting until someone gets paralyzed?

If launching, spearing, leading with the helmet are noted, it's a good time to take a stand IMO.

No I think it is correct however the way it has been handled has been very poor by the league, increasing punishment by 10 times without prior warning. In week 2 Eric Smith got fined 7.5k 4 weeks later no prior notice James Harrison is fined 75k both repeat offenders. They would not suspend players as it would be unfair without prior warning but increasing a fine ten fold is not unfair in their mind. Action is needed to stop someone getting hurt seriously but I can't think of many player being paralysed in the past from these type of hit I am aware that they can cause long term brain damage which is the biggest concern yet the nfl does not help it's former players very well and is known for this.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

You wanna know the funny thing about those clips.

Most of the illegal hits if not all occur when the WR has leaped.

Most of the legal hits except one occur when the WR has not lept.

I think the WRs need to be responsible for themselves also.

Problem with that theory is the hits were too high not too low.

 

[signbabybrady]

Problem with that theory is the hits were too high not too low.

The target jumps up in the air so you hit higher then newtons law kicks in and the target is coming down as your going up. IMO this is how most of these occur and I dont think the intent is to hit helmet to helmet but the intent is certainly to jack them up.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Problem with that theory is the hits were too high not too low.

gravity says high. You try to meet a defender in air and he's on the way down....

 

[Nikolai]

Am I alone in agreeing with the league taking a stand when they see a problem instead of waiting until someone gets paralyzed?

The issue is that no one really knows what the problem really is. Are the hits a byproduct of stronger and faster athletes, the equipment, changing attitudes and mores? I'm not a fan of kneejerk reactions, especially ones fueled by the media. This whole situation reflects a trend in the NFL head office of not thinking things through before taking action.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

gravity says high. You try to meet a defender in air and he's on the way down....

If you aim for his standing chest height you will either hit him in the chest when he is on the ground (legal) or hit him in the legs when he is in the air (also legal). If you knock him in the legs he won't land standing up and it is very unlikely he will be able to maintain posession of the ball.