The NFL has been making an attempt to cut back head accidents and concussions within the league, because it seeks a sustainable protected sport for gamers to take part in. However, following modifications to the helmet-hit rule, it has skilled a backlash from gamers who seem “confused” by the brand new laws.
“They’ll see how ridiculous it’s, as soon as they make the refs name it,” 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman stated.
“It’s going to be worse than holding, worse than the catch rule.
“On an excellent kind deal with, guys will lead with their shoulder pads, however you convey your head.
“It’s going to be a catastrophe.”
In making an attempt to cut back head accidents the NFL beforehand made above-the-shoulder hits a personal-foul penalty. The new rule additionally provides the potential of a participant being ejected from the sport.
There are few gamers who wouldn’t agree with making the sport safer, nevertheless, the implementation of those new guidelines has created confusion amongst gamers and followers alike.
Eagles gamers have been left ”pissed off” after assembly with NFL referees to get some readability on the principles.
“We were trying to ask questions to get a better understanding, and yet they couldn’t really give us an answer,” Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham stated.
“They couldn’t give us what we were looking for.”
Speaking in regards to the assembly with referees, Eagles operating again, Wendell Smallwood stated: “Most of the defence was like, ‘Man, how are we supposed to tackle?’ They were frustrated.”
The new rule change has additionally had an impression on gamers contracts.
The Chicago Bears have but to get their first spherical decide linebacker Roquan Smith below contract and “part of the issue” surrounds the brand new helmet-hit rule.
Roquan Smith and the Bears have yet to agree financial protections within the proposed contract ought to the linebacker be suspended if such a success occurred.
“For both sides, it’s more of a language deal, a language-type deal,” stated Bears coach Matt Nagy.
Being a linebacker, Smith is predicted to make many extra tackles and consequently be extra inclined to violating the brand new rule than another positions.
The unintended penalties of the brand new rule may additionally result in accidents warns Redskins security D.J. Swearinger.
“They want us to, I guess, hit with our shoulder,” he stated to ESPN
“I assume not hit a man when he geese. So I assume we simply gotta purpose for the knees. That’s the one method I understand how.
“If you don’t need me to hit you, then I assume it is the one method, the one method.”
Four years in the past, Swearinger was concerned in a controversial – however authorized – low hit throughout a preseason recreation in opposition to the New York Jets.
Jets tight finish Dustin Keller suffered a critical knee damage from the deal with, which finally ended his profession.