I'm not disagreeing, but this is a different perspective. Most things which have been designed to protect players have eventually been used to increase the violence of the game because it offers a false sense of security. Leather helmets to hard helmets to face masks. Each wound up being used in ways leading to further injuries. Same with rule changes. What makes one play safer leads to other plays which are more dangerous. Again, I'm not disagreeing with making the game safer, but I would advise more consideration on how it might be abused when instituted.
I kinda get what you're saying, but conversely, nobody knew about or gave a damn about concussions. The player "just got his bell rung", so "walk it off". The NFL spent decades pumping players full of painkillers and amphetamines (and gave teams tacit approval for steroids, but that's a different conversation) and then sending them back on the field. Modern medicine is pretty cool.
I mean I think is argument is in line with switching from leather helmets to hard helmets. If players are wearing a protective cap it could lure them into a false sense of security and lead to more plays where they put themselves in a vulnerable position. I’m not sure I agree with it in this case but that’s clearly the point he was trying to make. Also, I’m not sure how much a guardian cap would realistically help prevent concussions in those type of awkward qb slide plays where they get their head whipped backward against the turf. I think the data has indicated it can help for the play to play head banging that happens on the line, but these high torque hits seem just as likely to cause head injuries regardless of the protection. It’s just a physics question at that point, if the head accelerates and decelerates that quickly the brain is going to slam against the inside of the skull, it would take some intense engineering to safeguard around those type of plays. QBs need to stop sliding backwards. And if Azeez is going to get a 3 game SUSPENSION, we should at least get a ****ing flag.
Of course they can't play more recklessly with a guardian helmet. It's not a cure, but could lessen the impact. As for hard helmets, it's a two way.thing, because getting hit at full force by a hard helmet vs leather one is brutal, regardless if the person taking the blow has a hard helmet on too. I would think a guardian helmet could help cushion some of the impact. I'm not saying it would prevent concussions, but it could limit the severity a bit.
QB's have never worn Guardian caps. They would affect their throwing motions (more weight). Eventually, there will be a helmet that incorporates that protection in a "normal" design.
I do find this interesting. The promos a few days ago for TNF didn't feature Stroud. The ones from today did.
Like I was saying I think it’s highly dependent on the type of hit, the area of the brain effected, and 8 billion other things. Im all for trying to find safer equipment to keep players on the field.
