How soon until the NFL makes this mandatory for players in games?

[Numpsay]

No one… Is going to… Go head first…. To make a tackle….Without a helmet.

It doesn’t matter the situation. No one will do it. They will only do so wearing a helmet. Helmets cause these collisions because players don’t have to worry about bruising their faces and heads when tackling. No one wants to bust their face open to make a tackle

Not sure why you think you can state this as an absolute. Is there any data to back this up? I don't think it's that cut and dry. These guys have been playing with a helmet their whole lives you think they'd be able to adjust their natural instincts over night? And removing protection from players from the neck up would cause even bigger problems and concussions from blows to the head from forearms, elbows, knees, thighs etc... Removing helmets wouldn't make football any safer.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Not sure why you think you can state this as an absolute. Is there any data to back this up? I don't think it's that cut and dry. These guys have been playing with a helmet their whole lives you think they'd be able to adjust their natural instincts over night? And removing protection from players from the neck up would cause even bigger problems and concussions from blows to the head from forearms, elbows, knees, thighs etc... Removing helmets wouldn't make football any safer.

Removing helmets will reduce concussions. Forearms and elbows do not equate to someone at TopSpeed launching their entire weight of their body behind their helmet. Football would no doubt become bloodier.

But there would be a lot less concussions and head trauma.

 

[NYC Rebel]

Not sure why you think you can state this as an absolute. Is there any data to back this up? I don't think it's that cut and dry. These guys have been playing with a helmet their whole lives you think they'd be able to adjust their natural instincts over night? And removing protection from players from the neck up would cause even bigger problems and concussions from blows to the head from forearms, elbows, knees, thighs etc... Removing helmets wouldn't make football any safer.

And it’s almost as if you are ignoring that those who deliver blows also catch concussions. By virtue of someone delivering a forearm, the game is that much safer for them too because they are no longer using their head as a weapon.

 

[thelonious21]

Rugby has no helmets and they have concussion and CTE issues too. And rugby is a far less open, far slower, far less vertical sport than football with incentives to make controlled tackles rather than hitting hard because play doesn't stop after a tackle.





Yup, the 1904 season when 18 high school and college players died in a single year (back when the US population was a small fraction of what it is today).

That's like saying not enough people are dying. We don't need seat belts

 

[Remote]

The concussions are inherent to the sport.

Right? I mean no matter what helmet you come up with, the force of a hit is still going to cause the brain to move around within a man's skull.

Or am I wrong?

 

[NYC Rebel]

The concussions are inherent to the sport.

Right? I mean no matter what helmet you come up with, the force of a hit is still going to cause the brain to move around within a man's skull.

Or am I wrong?

Hits wont be as brutal.

 

[NYC Rebel]

That's like saying not enough people are dying. We don't need seat belts

Bad analogy. Helmets, unlike seatbelts, dont provide safety other than from scaring.

 

[Copy Ninja]

I've always said they should go with no helmets because defenders wouldn't foolishly launch head first anymore if they had no protection. Running Backs aren't going to lower their heads like a battering ram. It would decrease Concussions by a significant amount.

People will laugh but this is true. Back in the day when they had leather helmets players didn't launch themselves carelessly.

If you watch Rugby, players know not to lead with their heads when they make a tackle.

 

[Numpsay]

Removing helmets will reduce concussions. Forearms and elbows do not equate to someone at TopSpeed launching their entire weight of their body behind their helmet. Football would no doubt become bloodier.

But there would be a lot less concussions and head trauma.

Players running at full speed getting hit in the head by body parts moving at full speed will cause concussions. Players being tackled/thrown to the ground and hitting their head on the ground/turf with no protection will cause concussions. Removing helmets may stop concussions caused by helmet to helmet blows but it'll bring on it's own set of issues. It's not a full proof solution.

 

[thelonious21]

Bad analogy. Helmets, unlike seatbelts, dont provide safety other than from scaring.

Facts

 

[NYC Rebel]

Players running at full speed getting hit in the head by body parts moving at full speed will cause concussions. Players being tackled/thrown to the ground and hitting their head on the ground/turf with no protection will cause concussions. Removing helmets may stop concussions caused by helmet to helmet blows but it'll bring on it's own set of issues. It's not a full proof solution.

It will definitely bring a new set of issues but it’s a pick your poison situation. I’d rather get over a scar or broken bone than head trauma

 

[FaTaL]

Yes it would. Rugby doesn’t have near the amount of injuries as American football. Attackers entire approach would be different without the “protection quote from scarring that a helmet only does for someone along with being used as a weapon. No one is tackling with their head down without a helmet. They need to get rid of them shyts.

there not spearing each other because they dont have 30-40 seconds in between plays to rest

 

[Rekkapryde]

I've always said they should go with no helmets because defenders wouldn't foolishly launch head first anymore if they had no protection. Running Backs aren't going to lower their heads like a battering ram. It would decrease Concussions by a significant amount.

Agreed

Only Problem would be the ones where you land and your head bangs against the ground. Nothing can be done against that whether helmet or not. Your brain will bounce around in your skull on those shyts whether you like it or not

 

[NYC Rebel]

Facts

Seriously… What does a helmet protect other than bruising? The advent of the helmet we know today came from players faces getting beat up. What are you did, unknowingly was speed up the game, create greater collisions and more concussions

 

[IIVI]

Agreed

Only Problem would be the ones where you land and your head bangs against the ground. Nothing can be done against that whether helmet or not. Your brain will be around in your skull on those shyts whether you like it or not

Yup. That's basically been what's happened to Tua more than once this season. Somebody's head can hit the ground when they get tackled by their foot.

If they can figure out how to deal with that they may be onto something. Maybe stress proper landing techniques (which you can do when you're not knocked out in air from a helmet-to-helmet).