Comments on: Trent Richardson feels new helmet rule is his fault

By: granadafan

granadafan — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:15:33 +0000

If they didn’t use Trent, they would have picked someone else. If they’re going to penalize defensive players for even breathing on ball carriers then it’s only fair to penalize offensive players for initiating helmet to helmet contact.

Or, we could just go back to the old rules with REASONABLE modifications before the slimeball lawyers and Goodell got their dirty mitts on the rules.

By: jamezz23

jamezz23 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:52:34 +0000

What Trent Richardson did should have been flagged, it puts him in just as much harm. Lowering his head like that could end up getting him paralyzed one day. If you deliver a blow by lowering your head it should be flagged, but there is also a fine line between what should be called and shouldn’t. Its all how the referees see it, which we all know could be huge issue..

By: shaggymarrs

shaggymarrs — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:48:55 +0000

God, everybody is just bitching about this rule!! It is only enforced outside of the tackle box! All the runner has to do is turn his head to the side when he makes contact which is actually the correct way to initiate any sort of hit. Lead with your shoulder and drive through the guy. Or how about a stiff arm? You DON’T need to spear people with the top of your head. Everybody just calm the hell down, and runnings backs, don’t initiate contact with the top of your head (which is dumb anyways) and everything will be golden! Sheesh!

By: Andre's Johnson

Andre's Johnson — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:18:36 +0000

This rule is a legal formality; that’s it. Calm down, everyone. Officials will throw the flag on running back spearing…what, maybe five times all season? Way too subjective for such a split-second event. Officials will keep the flags in their pockets on this one.

By: lovefootball4life

lovefootball4life — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:12:34 +0000

Used as a prime example of what will become an illegal hit but the result was no one got really hurt.

Pollard and Ridley collide in what is widely known to be completely legal on both sides yet Ridley is left unconscious and Pollard probably had a concussion but was too tough to say anything.

Point being you can’t fix it, it is inherently violent.

By: christophershearin

christophershearin — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:08:03 +0000

can we start a petition to convince the players to all take a knee whenever they touch the ball until Mr. Rogers resigns and the league removes these stupid rules?

By: musicman495

musicman495 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:56:51 +0000

I am willing to keep an open mind on the new rule, especially when someone like Jeff Fisher – whom I respect very much – feels so passionately about it.

But I just watched the Trent Richardson hit on Kurt Coleman, and I fail to see how the new rule would have made the play any safer. If Richardson lifts his head and hit with his “forehead” instead of the crown of his helmet, he would still have hit Coleman in the chin or face mask and knocked his helmet off.

By: mrfrostyj

mrfrostyj — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:52:54 +0000

Yes, how dare Trent Richardson run forward knowing that poor Philadelphia Eagle didn’t have his helmet on properly.

What makes matters worse is that it was his first ever NFL game and did it all of 0 times over the next 15 games. On top of that, Richardson broke his ribs that season which is an injury someone who leads with his helmet doesn’t get.

I’m just hoping it’s one of those rules like the “defensless receiver” where it is only enforced in a situation where someone gets hurt (which Coleman didn’t by the way)

By: eaglesince86

eaglesince86 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:35:00 +0000

Um tarnutz do you know the effect of a 200+ pound defender running at you full speed on an offensive player standing straight up… probably not but hey you like the rest of the decision makers likely never played a down of football its easy to agree with it on paper but in the trenches is where it counts

By: tarznatz

tarznatz — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:02:42 +0000

I think it’s a good rule. let’s face it, on that play if he keeps his head up and barrels into him at full speed, he still gets the same amount of yards. And no one gets “hurt.”

By: canadianvikingfaniii

canadianvikingfaniii — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:01:16 +0000

They’re a bunch of self concerned jackasses. Seriously 31-1?

By: landof10000lakes

landof10000lakes — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:41:47 +0000

THis is going to severely hurt running-orietned teams like my vikes, AD is the only offense we have. Anything that could potentially slow him down is not good….

By: bonato55

bonato55 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:32:24 +0000

i think most of us have either had concussions or had ties to someone who has. I for one had a few and had some bad effects from one of them. That being said, this is absurd. The onus shouldnt be on how to alter the game as much but how to really help these players, because it is a vicious sport. The lawsuit issue arose because of flat out negligence on the part of the nfl to be care takers for their former and current players. They didnt want to spend the money to get them treated and they werent advanced enough in brain trauma to adequately help them. Thats where these lawsuits arose. No one cares about player safety, they care about their brand but theyre attempting to preserve their brand in the wrong manner. Tampering with the quality of the game is not going to help. Take care of the players and take the necessary steps to help them out, not withstanding intentional head blows. This game is becoming a farce and is going to be near-impossible to watch after this regime gets done with it…

By: uangerme

uangerme — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:29:17 +0000

Fans against Goodell UNITE! We put an end to his tyrannical reign before football is no more….

By: jpk6044

jpk6044 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:15:28 +0000

Actually Kurt Coleman’s fault for allowing himself to get trucked like that…

By: dspyank2k11

dspyank2k11 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:10:52 +0000

Not your fault Trent, if the equipment guys would just get a grip on their jobs, helmets wouldnt pop off every play.

Either that or Riddell is just making shoddy products.

By: movementarians

movementarians — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:05:36 +0000

The result of the play is Coleman’s fault! Like most NFL players, he didn’t buckle his chin strap. I don’t know why no one notice that. I watched the play in slow motion a thousand times on NFL network and his helmet was half way off his head before he was hit. The outcome would have been avoided if he just buckled his chin strap! That is an easy thing to enforce and it does not put the outcome of games in the hands of refs. That and forcing players to wear their mouth guard. Both of these things have been discussed in certain studies as contributers to reducing concussions. Egads!

By: nflfan4now

nflfan4now — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:25:48 +0000

Yes I am sure all you ‘experts’ are right, it’s a bad rule. Guys like jeff Fisher and the 31 club execs that voted for it don’t have a clue what football is about compared to you. Don’t they know that players are supposed to bury their heads and use the top of their helmet like a battering ram, that’s what football is about. No one ever taught you to keep your head up in football and use your shoulder pads, why would you do that when you can hit them with your head?
Those dumb people, lucky they don;t make a living off football like all the experts commenting here!

By: jimmyt

jimmyt — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:22:11 +0000

I’m already sick of all the whining about it.

By: mancave001

mancave001 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:16:23 +0000

I’m in the minority here, because as the rule is written, I support it. It doesn’t ban lowering the helmet and slamming into the line. It bans open field spearing, which is already illegal on defense. I’m surprised its taken this long. If the tackler can’t spear, the ball carrier shouldn’t be able to either.

By: schmokes

schmokes — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:15:09 +0000

It’s all Goodel’s fault…except for the 31 owners who voted for the rule….

By: bigblackanvil

bigblackanvil — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:08:00 +0000

It ain’t football no more. HTTR

By: samapoc

samapoc — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:34:32 +0000

They should just get it over wit with and start using flags.

By: alphaq2

alphaq2 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:16:40 +0000

I wonder how the league will feel about it when a RB slides in the open field rather than remaining an upright target. It will eventually happen after RBs take a few shots.

By: fatoldsun1

fatoldsun1 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:15:35 +0000

The trent Richardson play is ridiculous. The defensive’s players chin strap was at his nose, his helmet was coming off with any collision.

By: competitivecompetitioncompeter

competitivecompetitioncompeter — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:01:55 +0000

Meanwhile, the NFL is threatening to cancel the Pro Bowl because guys aren’t hitting hard enough.

In other news, schizophrenics across the nation stop following pro football cuz it weirds them out, pine for return of BCS computers.

By: ridnaway

ridnaway — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:58:35 +0000

Roger Goodell is the Mayor Bloomberg of sports.

By: wryly1

wryly1 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:51:46 +0000

The helmet was designed and intended for protection, not to be a weapon. end of subject.

By: pierrepoint1

pierrepoint1 — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:48:23 +0000

I think Trent needs to have a talk with James Harrison about ignoring fines and see where it got him.

Escalating fines will lead to suspensions if he doesn’t change his ways.

By: winstonpark

winstonpark — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:12:46 +0000

RBs have to start sliding before they get hit now?? GREAT!! They should propose a rule that doesn’t allow Goodell to propose anymore rules. Love how they finally figured out the tuck rule was a good idea.