Mike Pereira: If the new rules don’t reduce concussions, the kickoff is gone

While I'm all for player safety, I'm not a big fan of potentially removing the kickoff. It's such an exciting and iconic part of the game. Let's hope that results are positive this year.

Mike Pereira: If the new rules don’t reduce concussions, the kickoff is gone

I would think the NFLPA would have at least some issue with this. Many of their members lose value if the kickoff is eliminated.

Crazy Patriot Guy said:

I would think the NFLPA would have at least some issue with this. Many of their members lose value if the kickoff is eliminated.

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In theory the value just shifts to other members. Player safety should probably be more important.

I don't want to see the kickoff go but they keep trying to create a kickoff with no contact or 1 that just ends in a touchback. If it's so much less safe than average play and they just want to force more and more touchbacks then just get rid of it. Hopefully the new rules make a difference.

So the kickoff is gone then. The concussion numbers aren't going to go down in an inherently violent sport.

The sport will be gone before you know it. Kids are not playing football.

signbabybrady said:

In theory the value just shifts to other members. Player safety should probably be more important.

I don't want to see the kickoff go but they keep trying to create a kickoff with no contact or 1 that just ends in a touchback. If it's so much less safe than average play and they just want to force more and more touchbacks then just get rid of it. Hopefully the new rules make a difference.

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I don't disagree but the NFLPA is always fighting for the high end contracts and more guaranteed money and what not. Well in a capped league, Aaron Rodgers getting paid double what he makes now obviously causes other players to lose their jobs. That doesn't stop them from pushing for higher deals.

Also, they could argue if player safety is so important that some players lose their jobs over it, why are we still playing games on Thursday?

Bethel Johnson had one of the most underrated KO return seasons in 2003...

- His late ~85yd return vs. Tenn set up the short game-winning drive.

- His long return just before halftime against Denver set up a bonus FG in a game decided by one score.

- His TD return as halftime expired in Indy helped give the Pat's the cushion to hold off the Colts furious comeback.

Who knows what happens if any of these games swung the other way. The Colts outcome directly affected HFA as a 3-way tie with KC and Indy dropped the Pat's from the #1 spot. The other games might have done the same. Maybe we're looking at one less title without those KO contributions. A no-KO rule then could have greatly affected that season.

Regards,
Chris

Crazy Patriot Guy said:

I would think the NFLPA would have at least some issue with this. Many of their members lose value if the kickoff is eliminated.

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I think a lot of those players would still be useful on punt teams. And more cynically speaking, I don't think those are the most profitable guys to advocate for if you're a union.

Crazy Patriot Guy said:

I would think the NFLPA would have at least some issue with this. Many of their members lose value if the kickoff is eliminated.

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If they try to fight it, the NFLPA would then be seen fighting FOR something that causes a lot of concussions, which would weaken their overall position on a bigger issue, which is player safety.

They can either Have their cake, or Eat their cake.

The Brandon Five said:

The sport will be gone before you know it. Kids are not playing football.

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Lol yeah they still are. This rhetoric of “absolutes” like this gets annoying.

I can see the sport fading in popularity the way boxing did, sure. But it isn’t going to be “gone” anytime soon.

For those who think that kickoffs are actually a statistically relevant part of the game, I recommend this video.

Not sure Belichick agrees with you about importance, @Joey007

Maybe it's just me, but I don't notice that many concussions being sustained on kickoffs vs. other plays in the game. Of course, most of the time you don't realize someone is out with a concussion until they announce it.

Joey007 said:

For those who think that kickoffs are actually a statistically relevant part of the game, I recommend this video.

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Absolutely love this video. Was convinced after one view a few months ago when I thought going in it was a stupid idea to get rid of the kickoff.

reamer said:

Not sure Belichick agrees with you about importance, @Joey007

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He's not always right.

Elijah said:

Absolutely love this video. Was convinced after one view a few months ago when I thought going in it was a stupid idea to get rid of the kickoff.



He's not always right.

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Often enough that I'll give him benefit of the doubt.

I'm also not sure why either of you liked that video -- it's kind of boring and uses too broad of a scale to provide useful analysis. Not all teams or special teams coordinators are created equal; just because other teams are bad or don't prioritize special teams, doesn't mean the kickoff is inherently flawed. If anything, the data just underscores how badly the rest of the league does things, and shows where the Patriots can continue to gain an advantage in both kickoffs and returns. There's a reason the Patriots always rate at the top of the league for field position.

The Brandon Five said:

The sport will be gone before you know it. Kids are not playing football.

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Kids are playing football, but there's a lot of hand wringing about the concussion issue. Mumma doesn't want Little Baby Joey playing football to begin with, and now she's got the concussion issue in her corner to back her up. Makes it hard to grow the sport. Almost impossible.

Joey007 said:

Lol yeah they still are. This rhetoric of “absolutes” like this gets annoying.

I can see the sport fading in popularity the way boxing did, sure. But it isn’t going to be “gone” anytime soon.

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Don't put your head in the sand, brother. The sport is under attack. I had a whole paragraph written about young men and agressions and testosterone, but I deleted it. I will say that I think young men NEED this sport. We need to do whatever we can to keep it alive and thriving.

Steve:Section 102 said:

Kids are playing football, but there's a lot of hand wringing about the concussion issue. Mumma doesn't want Little Baby Joey playing football to begin with, and now she's got the concussion issue in her corner to back her up. Makes it hard to grow the sport. Almost impossible.



Don't put your head in the sand, brother. The sport is under attack. I had a whole paragraph written about young men and agressions and testosterone, but I deleted it. I will say that I think young men NEED this sport. We need to do whatever we can to keep it alive and thriving.

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What's the implication here? Football, which every young man obviously plays, is the only outlet preventing a Purge-like event?

This is not an issue of us noticing. It is an issue of data. If the new rules don't reduce the number of concussions ON KICKOFFS, then kickoffs will go. And that is as it should be.
Yes, some players will be less valuable, and some cap money might be moved to another player.

There is something unstated. If there is no decrease in the number of concussions, the NFL has little future in the US, other than perhaps at the level of boxing or the WWF.

PatsDeb said:

Maybe it's just me, but I don't notice that many concussions being sustained on kickoffs vs. other plays in the game. Of course, most of the time you don't realize someone is out with a concussion until they announce it.

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mgteich said:

This is not an issue of us noticing. It is an issue of data. If the new rules don't reduce the number of concussions ON KICKOFFS, then kickoffs will go. And that is as it should be.
Yes, some players will be less valuable, and some cap money might be moved to another player.

There is something unstated. If there is no decrease in the number of concussions, the NFL has little future in the US, other than perhaps at the level of boxing or the WWF.

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Concussions won't decrease unless you completely dismantle the sport and start from scratch. It's folly to think otherwise.

Elijah said:

What's the implication here? Football, which every young man obviously plays, is the only outlet preventing a Purge-like event?

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Yes, that's exactly what will happen. Anarchy will reign supreme. Young men will roam the streets of our cities and towns, raping and pillaging at will. Cats and dogs, living together, mass hysteria.