If anything, it would lead to a greater demand on guaranteed money. Having played four 12 (11 plus bowl) game seasons as a starter, the 16 game (possibly 20) schedule is already incredible to think about. The pain the body endures over such a season is incredible. By the end of two a days, the body is already hurt. There are muscle strains, bone bruises, minor breaks and hyperextensions already had before the season starts. Once the season strarts, the body continues to break down during both practice and during games. The player isn't 100% to start the season and by the third week, they body is appx 70%.
For example (and please don't read this as masculine posturing or me being a glory days hungy has been, this is meerly for illustrating a point) I played through my senior season with two broken ribs and a broken sternum after taking vicious blindside block to the chest after an interception in the second week of the season. Each play, it would feel as if I had the wind knocked out of me. I played with a rib pad, wrapped my ribs and was on a fairly potent ****tail of painkillers throughout the week. On gameday, I would medicate when I first woke up, report to the trainer two hours before the game for a cortisone shot and proceed to suit up. Playing mike inside linebacker, I would loose my wind within seconds of each snap after first contact. After the game, when the meds wore off, I was incapacitated. I would lay in my bed, reading my text books with my laptop on my chest and try my best to complete my assignments. This is in the midst of lamaze style breathing. This was my life for the next 10 weeks and it was only scratching the surface of my minor bumps, bruises and muscular strains. By the end of the season, my body was broken, beaten and effectively useless. I would start rehab the day the season ended. By the time I was able to lift weights and run effectively, it was march. Spring practices would give their own bumps and bruises which were treatable. By August, the body was close to 95% through hardcore 5 hours a day training to rebuild what was lost and 3 hours a day of treatment. Then, practices would start again. Having played football since I was eight, my body did not feel 100% until right now, nearly two years removed from my college football career.
Football is the most grueling sport I have ever played, and can only image what it would be like to play 16++ games a season. Players must be broken down beyond belief after the end of this, nevermind the addition of another game. The injuries will further pile up both major and minor. The careers will be shortened and the values of the contracts will dimish significantly. The union will have to push for greater gurantees in order to protect their market value as their bodies distegrate at a more exponential rate. Before Godell delivers the proposal, he should have to participate in a full pads week of practice.
