• emmasdad01@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    I am inclined to say yes as they have the independent neurologist, concussion protocol, better equipment for avoiding concussions, etc.

    The truth is that only time will tell.

  • OneOfTheDads@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    I’m sure 5-10 years ago Jaren Hall would’ve finished that game last week, media would’ve called him a “tough kid”. So I guess there’s that

  • NNKarma@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    All depends on how you define progress, probably in managing it but not much in preventing. I doubt you would make serious reduction without eliminating the defense or making it flag football.

  • Morepastor@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Unless prevention starts at the peewee level it’s hard to pinpoint when the damage was done. To make it to the NFL you’re going through some punishment.

    • ecupatsfan12@alien.topB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      A lot of people who are being reported as having CTE now have had bad protocols since peewee. There were no guardian caps when I played.

      It’s substantially safer now but that doesn’t help dudes in their 30s and 40s who played in the late 90s early 00s

      • langolocaldaia@alien.topB
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        10 months ago

        100%. All the vets in the league grew up watching NFL published hard hit highlight reels. They all played in middle school and high schools where hard hits were encouraged.

        It takes a LONG time for safety related messaging to soak in through all the levels of the sport. The kids just starting peewee today are the ones who will have coaches/protocols that care about concussions for their entire career.

        Until they’re in their 50’s we won’t truly know how much better the preventions are.

  • Frozboz@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Anthony Richardson’s concussion earlier this year was self-reported. In years past, he wouldn’t have been able to raise a flag to a dedicated neutral medical professional while the game was ongoing. He likely would have been told by the team that he just got his “bell rung” and get back out on the field.

    A lot more players are able to report concussions, which is a good thing. Seems like this generation of players are also more aware certain actions will have on their long-term health and also feel comfortable reporting these issues.

  • MaroonedOctopus@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Give skilled position players the option to play with a flag. Penalty if you tackle someone with a flag. Tradeoff is that it’s harder to get yards after the catch, but dramatically lower risk of injury for these critical players.

    I would expect nearly all QBs to use this option, and many older and more injury-prone players.

    • Doobie_Howitzer@alien.topB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      How do you prevent a WR from making a catch if you can’t play the body at the point of the catch? Put a flag on any skill player and they immediately become unguardable. No corner in the league is good enough to clamp even a league average WR with only deflections and interceptions (especially with all the other rules that boost offensive production)

  • SamBrico246@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Waiting for boxing, mma, soccer, and cheerleadering to get the scrutiny that football gets…

    • skycake10@alien.topB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      Boxing and MMA get a pass because beating the shit out of each other is the point, and the banning of headers at low levels of soccer is already a thing that’s happening to a great deal of controversy.

  • Ok-RECCE4U@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Two steps away from implementing player-worn flags. Someone farts on the sideline and a fine is handed down.

  • Uncle_Paul_Hargis@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    One thing they could do is mandate mouth pieces. You see half the guys running around with their mouth piece dangling from their facemask. Also sets a terrible example for young football players.

  • QuirkyScorpio29@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    I think the solution might be the NFL investing millions of dollars into football helmet research to come up with a helmet that actually protects the brain. These current helmets are designed to protect the skull, not the brain…there is a difference.

    Technology advances every single year…at some point someone will have a breakthrough. Just have to make the effort to start that resarch on the league’s behalf…not on private helmet companies’ behalfs.

    As a 49er fan, the death of Dwight Clark in his mid 50s to ALS really hits hard and was a big reality check about the long term effects of those small headhits…even the ones that don’t get diagnosed as concussions.

    The NFL need to put their moey where their mouth is and start a research program into helmet improvements.