NFLPA strongly resisting rule proposal that would require thigh and knee pads in 2013

[ChrisPozz]

NFLPA plans to file grievance if pad proposal is passed - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

 

[Bemular]

This will both protect and slow down the game - thus, I see this proposal passing

 

[abaskin18]

Whatever. So long as those players who object can't sue for leg damages later in life.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Oh God.

 

[NinerSickness]

Requiring thigh pads would be dumb. They probably wouldn't prevent a single serious inury. Maybe a bruise, but that's not serious.

Knee pads? Maybe. But they probably won't very much.

 

[threelittleturds]

Does this affect Justin Smith? Does he just wear smaller shoulder pads and a smaller uniform or does he minimize his shoulder pads?

The dude already gets held more than anyone (without drawing penalties) than any DE I know of in the NFL. That'd suck ass if he minimizes his pads and now he has to put big old handles on his shoulders for the tackles.

 

[Bemular]

Does this affect Justin Smith? Does he just wear smaller shoulder pads and a smaller uniform or does he minimize his shoulder pads?

The dude already gets held more than anyone (without drawing penalties) than any DE I know of in the NFL. That'd suck ass if he minimizes his pads and now he has to put big old handles on his shoulders for the tackles.

Excellent Post - Great Point!

 

[imac_21]

Requiring thigh pads would be dumb. They probably wouldn't prevent a single serious inury. Maybe a bruise, but that's not serious.

Knee pads? Maybe. But they probably won't very much.

I believe it's to reduce head trauma. When a player gets hit in the head (kneed more than with the thigh) if there is a pad there it will slightly soften the blow. It's been generally accepted in the NHL for years that a lot of the head injuries that come from big hits are because the pads have evolved from foam to hard plastic.

If the NFLPA is going to refuse this and say they should have the right to choose whether they wear these pads or not (like hockey players with visors), they should be forfeiting their right to sue for any head trauma in the future. Not because the extra padding would prevent concussions, but because it may prevent one, or lessen the severity of one or more (if that's even possible) and the NFLPA is resisting the NFL's attempts to prevent head trauma.

 

[NinerSickness]

How often do you think there's a head injury from the impact of front of the thigh with a helmet?

 

[imac_21]

How often do you think there's a head injury from the impact of front of the thigh with a helmet?

Given all the law suits the NFL is facing due to head injuries, isn't one enough to justify trying to reduce and prevent?

 

[Bemular]

Given all the law suits the NFL is facing due to head injuries, isn't one enough to justify trying to reduce and prevent?

I think this illuminates the reason behind the reason this and future measures directed toward safety will be considered and taken. If these ideas become practice I'm sure the NFL will window dress them as much as possible so as to influence positively the perception that the NFL is taking safety seriously, while minimizing the impact to the bottom line. At the end of the day (and lawsuit) profit more than safety will decide what the NFL does and how it does it.

 

[mem49er]

How often do you think there's a head injury from the impact of front of the thigh with a helmet?

Ask Delanie Walker (it was a knee, but that's within the confines of this discussion, methinks).

 

[BINGO]

Requiring thigh pads would be dumb. They probably wouldn't prevent a single serious inury. Maybe a bruise, but that's not serious.

Knee pads? Maybe. But they probably won't very much.

+1
Only people who have had experienced playing organized football would know that fact. Even knee pads don't protect anything. The only good use (for me at least) the knee pad came in handy was when the team had to take a knee before the coach while the coach was addressing / giving a speech about something. Thigh pads and knee pads don't do diddly squat.

 

[NinerSickness]

Given all the law suits the NFL is facing due to head injuries, isn't one enough to justify trying to reduce and prevent?

The question wasn't rhetorical. I was seriously asking.

But in answer to your question, at this point I don't think it would make any difference. The basis of the lawsuit(s) going on are that the NFL secretly knew things about head injuries that the medical community didn't. It's dumb, but it's more of a cover-up lawsuit than trying to get injury settlements.

I suppose it might help, in future lawsuits, for the NFL to show how far they were trying to go for player safety.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Jarret Johnson calls leg pads a “P.R. stunt” | ProFootballTalk

 

[imac_21]

The question wasn't rhetorical. I was seriously asking.

But in answer to your question, at this point I don't think it would make any difference. The basis of the lawsuit(s) going on are that the NFL secretly knew things about head injuries that the medical community didn't. It's dumb, but it's more of a cover-up lawsuit than trying to get injury settlements.

I suppose it might help, in future lawsuits, for the NFL to show how far they were trying to go for player safety.

Well, now the NFL clearly knows the dangers of head trauma. If it were to not attempt to force players to wear pads which may prevent head injuries, wouldn't that open the door to many more law suits of this type in the future?

On the other hand, by saying these pads will be required and having the NFLPA come out against it, then in future lawsuits the NFL can point to this to say they were attempting to protect the players and the union got in the way.

That would look really good in a court case.

 

[imac_21]

+1
Only people who have had experienced playing organized football would know that fact. Even knee pads don't protect anything. The only good use (for me at least) the knee pad came in handy was when the team had to take a knee before the coach while the coach was addressing / giving a speech about something. Thigh pads and knee pads don't do diddly squat.

Hey Bingo, why are MMA fighters required to wear gloves? Why are boxers allowed to wear gloves?

Why is there a grassroots movement in hockey to have players wear MMA gloves under their hockey gloves for fighting?

I believe the answer is it will soften the blow when being hit.

The requirement of wearing knee and thigh pads isn't to protect the player wearing them, it's to protect the other 21 players on the field from being kneed in the head and getting a concussion.

 

[Kinzu]

MMA gloves are more about protecting the fighters hands. It's a pretty constant injury for a fighter to break his hand on a punch with the gloves on so just imagine how bad it would be without them. It's just an added bonus that they some what soften the blow of the punch.

If anything the kneepads might help with some knee to the helmet injuries and might even help on some knee other knee injuries. I don't get why players are against this. We had to wear these pads throughout high school.