NFL Competition Committee co-chairmen Jeff Fisher and Rich McKay said today at the annual league meetings in Orlando that while overtime has been the most-discussed topic from their recent recommendations to the league owners, the committee’s highest priority was making changes to promote player safety.
Fisher, the Titans’ head coach, outlined three recommendations for rules changes that the Competition Committee:
1. Standardize protection for defenseless players.
2. Protect ball carriers whose helmets come off by blowing the play dead.
3. Expand the rule protecting long snappers from being hit immediately after a snap.
McKay said everyone in the league has had a “very positive” reaction to those three recommendations.
Of the three, the one that sounds like it has the greatest potential to affect games is the first one. Fisher also said that “a player in the grasp whose progress has been stopped now becomes a defenseless player,” which would mean that if one defensive player grabs and stops a running back but doesn’t tackle him, and then a second defensive player comes in and hits him, that would be a 15-yard penalty.
What no rule to protect little Tom Brady, oh yeah that was las year.
i dont like the first two
It amazes me that they need a rule to not only stop a man from running at helmeted men without a helmet, but to stop helmeted men from smashing into a man not wearing a helmet. This is not a bright bunch.
player grabs and stops a running back but doesn’t tackle him, and then a second defensive player comes in and hits him, that would be a 15-yard penalty.
Is this flag football now
“”a player in the grasp whose progress has been stopped now becomes a defenseless player,” which would mean that if one defensive player grabs and stops a running back but doesn’t tackle him, and then a second defensive player comes in and hits him, that would be a 15-yard penalty.”
This is a horrible rule unless they are going to immediately blow the play dead the moment forward progress starts. What if even though the running back is stopped he keeps trying to move forwards like every last RB in the game will do ?
Absolutely terrible change.
The ref better blow that whistle pretty damn fast or this will lead to big controversies. Also, they should add the Marvin Harrison rule. If a player goes to the ground by his own design, they play should be blown dead immediately. None of this getting back up crap because the defense thought the play was over.
Sounds like QBs won’t be the only players wearing skirts. Now they’re handing them out to TEs, WRs, and RBs. Wear those skirts with pride, guys.
So now they want to call RBs in the grasp, like they used to do for QBs. That should go over big. Wait until a fumble occurs while a RB is in the grasp and it goes back to the offense. Or a RB breaks a tackle for a sizeable gain or TD only to have it called back for being the grasp.
Calling a play dead after a player loses his helmet. Tackling is at a premium now. So instead of tackling, just give the chin strap a yank.
Fisher also said that “a player in the grasp whose progress has been stopped now becomes a defenseless player,” which would mean that if one defensive player grabs and stops a running back but doesn’t tackle him, and then a second defensive player comes in and hits him, that would be a 15-yard penalty.
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Absolutely ridiculous. I’m sure they wouldn’t actually implement the rule in the way it’s worded here. But if they did it would be incredibly stupid. Call this one the Adrian Peterson rule because guys like Peterson would have a field day with this rule in place. Or just about any tight end.
It’s near impossible to enforce. When is a player’s forward progress stopped? How much time has to pass with no forward progress? A tenth of a second? Half a second? Two seconds?
I said it before and I’ll repeat it here. Just go back to enforcing the unnecessary roughness rule. Unnecessary roughness is like porn: you know it when you see it.
This rule would be applied as haphazardly as pass interference. It’d be a disaster.
So what happens if a player is stopped by 1 tackler?
Does everyone just stand around and look at him and wait for him to fall over?
So a player in the grasp of a defender can give up, cop a hit, and pick up 15 yards, or do you trust the referees to be able to pick up on this stuff accurately?
Maybe we can get soccer/basketball players to teach footballers how to flop after minor contact too.
The rule is play to the whistle, not “oh… is he stopped? He looks stopped, i better not hit him, just i’ll go in and help make it look like he’s stopped cos he’s sorta not stopped…”
Is the Union going to use these as bargaining tools? Der der.
So if an offensive lineman’s helmet comes off as the ball is thrown to an open receiver, the play is dead? Replay the down. I don’t like it.
And I can see calls every week when a second defender makes the tackle and is blown for a 15 yarder. It’s gonna create a lot of controversy
Boooooo. If those first two rules are applied, the NFL will soon turn into a watered down version of what is currently America’s greatest game. Nobody wants to see a player get hurt, and the number one way to prevent injuries is to limit the risk, but these guys willingly play the game with the understanding that they are putting their well-being at risk every game day. I think most visitors of this site, if they possessed the physical gifts, would gladly play the game in exchange for the million dollar paychecks.
“Of the three, the one that sounds like it has the greatest potential to affect games is the first one. Fisher also said that “a player in the grasp whose progress has been stopped now becomes a defenseless player,” which would mean that if one defensive player grabs and stops a running back but doesn’t tackle him, and then a second defensive player comes in and hits him, that would be a 15-yard penalty.”
So…how are you supposed to tackle someone after one person has him “not tackled?” Two-hand touch?? I think that needs to be written better if it becomes a rule……
Guys helmets come off all the time cuz they dont do up the straps properly.
How many injuries occurred last year because a guy lost his helmet?
Do you accidentally let your helmet come off on a long run if you play D?
Stupidest, most unnecessary rule ever
The first change was bound to happen sooner or later.
I think the 2nd one is a no brainer (pardon the pun).
The third is what it is.
a game’s outcome will be determined by that second rule
How about making pads mandatory? Most WRs and DBs don’t wear thigh, hip or knee pads because they think it will slow them down. Then ironically enough most of them have 12 lbs of hair which causes their helmets to not stay on and one would think all that hair wouldn’t be all to aerodynamic.
“a player in the grasp whose progress has been stopped now becomes a defenseless player,”
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That’s way too arbitrary. This is just asking for another round of the “in the grasp” stuff that was applied to the QB about 10 years ago. Didn’t work real well then and I sure don’t see it working any better for RB’s. RB’s are going to keep hitting the defensive players and trying to bounce off. “In the grasp” is going to mess the game up again.
Rule #2 is a giant, steaming, pile of crap. A properly fitted football helmet does not come off regardless of how the player is hit.
This shows that the league and the players’ union aren’t serious about fixing issues with head injuries. The player that “loses” their helmet should be ejected from the game.
cbatchel, UPS called. They said your box of tampons is en route and need your signature to deliver the shipment. Apparently it’s pretty big.
Will the Steelers be called for too many men on the field when the refs realize there is a family of quail living in Troy Polamalu’s hair?
does that mean a team can punish a player who doesnt strap on his helmet properly? can the NFL fine a team whos players consistanly dont strap the lids on properly?
i can see that rule becoming a can of worms between coaches not wanting a play blown dead over that and prima donna players who dont want to strap the helmet properly.
Wait…hold on.. You can hit a defenseless player..just not in the head, right?
gang tackling is a big part of the game. Every team teaches its player to get to the ball carrier, and make a play. I guess this makes it really easy for the defense. No more guys running out of tackles for big gains.
I’m for any rule that would force players to actually tackle. I’m tired of guys going for big hits just to see themselves on ESPN’s highlight reel. The guys they’re trying to knock off of their feet are every bit as big and strong as the would-be tackler. So after these so-called big hits, the would-be tackler is laying on the ground watching the ball carrier run down field.
What a joke! Did ya’ll hear about the WR bubble rule they were also looking at? Making it illegal to hit a WR after the catch until he makes a “football move”………..wtf is going on here? We need to start hockey season earlier. This game is turning into a game for pussies. Somewhere they gotta draw the line at player protection rules! Where will it end??????????
The NFL needs to stop making so many rules to protect players as if they’re babies. Theyre grown men n football is a tough sport, not a P@##y sport
Pretty sure the rule says a play is blown dead when a BALL CARRIER loses his helmet. So, no, a defensive player could not kill a long run by removing his helmet and, no, an offensive lineman losing his helmet would not screw up a passing play.
Read, then comment.