[USA Today] Cushing article

Jet Blast · Mar 6, 2013

Brian Cushing talks about the illegal block that tore his ACL and his opposition to low blocks. Also, he gives an update on his rehabilitation.

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has an urgent appeal to the NFL's competition committee as it mulls potential rules changes this week in Naples, Fla.:

Eliminate chop blocks – like the one that ended Cushing's season Oct. 8 with a shredded left anterior cruciate ligament.

In the second quarter of a Monday night game against the New York Jets, guard Matt Slauson ran past Cushing, then doubled back and cut him down with a blindside hit while Cushing was pursuing running back Bilal Powell.

"It's just asking for an injury when you get guys this big, this fast going full speed at legs," Cushing told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "What do you think is going to happen?''

Five months later, Cushing says he is still a week and a half away from returning to the field and running in a brace.

But surprisingly not everyone in the Texans organization sides with Cushing on the possible rule change – not the offensive linemen, and not head coach Gary Kubiak.

"Me? I think you know that answer,'' Kubiak said at the NFL scouting combine last month. "It's part of what we do. I think it's part of football. We teach it the right way. Hopefully, that part stays with us.''

Slauson was fined $10,000 for his illegal block on Cushing, who was, in effect, a defenseless defender, cut down by Slauson's peel-back block.

In a move to protect more players, the competition committee is considering a ban of these dangerous blocks, which remain legal inside the tackle box.

Cushing said he would be proud to be the face of "The Cushing Rule'' when the committee recommends new rules and revisions. Owners will vote on those March 17-20, when they meet in Phoenix.

"If my injury further prevents other injuries, then that's success, and there can be some good to come out of my injury,'' Cushing said. "Hopefully, my injury does change the rule and in the future will prevent tons and tons of knee injuries.

"As far as cut blocks being eliminated, every defensive player would probably be for that and would approve it."

Cushing said he never heard from Slauson, and he's fine without an apology.

"I'm not looking for that,'' Cushing said. "I have to do my rehab whether he apologized or not. It's not going to change the effect on my knee.''

But the Texans defensive captain isn't fine with the lack of equal protection for defenseless defensive players.

"I didn't even see that block,'' Cushing said. "If I did, I probably could have prevented it. But when I'm not looking and it's almost behind me and a guy 330 pounds goes at my knees …

"You're looking at six to nine months of recovery for my knee. No one should have to go through that, especially if it can be prevented and it can be done the right way. I would rather he had hit me up high and cleaned my clock.''

Cushing is on one side, Kubiak is on the other. And if Texans general manager Rick Smith is the organizational swing vote, know this: He sounds like he's backing Cushing – and Smith is a member of the competition committee.

"That block (on Cushing) is already illegal (outside the tackle box)," Smith said at the combine. "In the (tackle) box, it's legal. The question that we've got to answer is: Should it be? And I don't think anybody thinks so.

"So that's something that we've got to talk about and think about.''

Cushing understands the debate from offensive linemen since cut-blocking is integral to the way the Texans create lanes for running back Arian Foster.

"The guys I've talked to have all been for it, except for the offensive linemen,'' Cushing said. "But I just feel it can be done safely.''

Cushing said the toughest part of his rehabilitation following the late-October surgery by Dr. James Andrews were the "dark, dreary days'' right after the procedure, when the season was still going on and the Texans were marching toward the postseason without him.

Cushing said he is running on an anti-gravity treadmill, feeling stronger each day. Who has been his biggest source of inspiration in a bid to become 2013 Comeback Player of the Year -- besides his nearly 5-month-old son, Brian Cayden Cushing?

It's last season's league MVP, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who made a remarkable comeback from a shredded ACL himself, nearly eclipsing Hall of Fame back Eric Dickerson's 1984 single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. Cushing said he spoke with Peterson in December.

"A.P. just told me, 'Keep working, take no days off and just go at it,''' Cushing said. "He put so many people in awe with his work ethic and the way he approached it, I feel that can be duplicated.''

Cushing said Peterson helped him "really mentally'' push through the early months of doubt.

"I got hurt early in the season, so there's no question in my mind I'll be back for our first game,'' he said. "Not only do I have time, but I have a player like Adrian telling me it can be done."
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...cushing-wants-chop-blocks-eliminated/1969219/

tmoney1101 · Mar 7, 2013

i can't wait to see him back on the field, we need him.

Summer Song Giver · Mar 7, 2013

Just putting it out there that what our lineman do and what Slausen did to Cush are two entirely different things.

The reporter probably asked Kubiak "What are your thoughts on the NFL eliminateing all cut blocks" and the reporter asked Cushing "I'm not talking about all cut blocks, but do you think cut blocks like the one that ended your season should be eliminated?" and then spun it to get this story where even a Texans player hates cut blocks.

Personally I like my lineman of the road grader variety and not the dive at your feet types so it wouldn't hurt my feelings if the league did away with them; extra benefit, it might run Kubiak (good for Texans) and Shanahan (ratface) out of the league.

ipaman · Mar 7, 2013

Summer Song Giver said: ↑

Just putting it out there that what our lineman do and what Slausen did to Cush are two entirely different things.

The reporter probably asked Kubiak "What are your thoughts on the NFL eliminateing all cut blocks" and the reporter asked Cushing "I'm not talking about all cut blocks, but do you think cut blocks like the one that ended your season should be eliminated?" and then spun it to get this story where even a Texans player hates cut blocks.

Personally I like my lineman of the road grader variety and not the dive at your feet types so it wouldn't hurt my feelings if the league did away with them; extra benefit, it might run Kubiak (good for Texans) and Shanahan (ratface) out of the league.
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i agree, you can zone block without cutting. it's more responsibility based as opposed to technique.

Pete the Cheat · Mar 7, 2013

sat right next to Cush and his family (wife and son) at Ash Wednesday Mass.
dude looks fit. It really impressed me considering what kind of injury he has been rehabbing.

he was skinny to the point my wife (who had no idea who he was) thought he was a male model. women...

Raven · Mar 10, 2013

Slauson was fined $10,000 for his illegal block on Cushing,
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Things won't change until the NFL starts adding two more zeros to that number.

Jet Blast · Mar 11, 2013

The competition committee will recommend a ban to the peel-back block inside the tackle box, like the one that caused Cushing's injury, to the owners when they meet next week. Cut blocking will continue to be allowed as long as it is within three yards of the tackle box.

Full USA Today article:

It appears that rehabbing Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing will get his wish.

During a week of meetings in Naples, Fla., the NFL's competition committee overwhelmingly agreed to support a rule change that would ban the type of peel-back block inside the tackle box that ended Cushing's 2012 season with a torn ACL, USA TODAY Sports has learned.

According to two people with knowledge of the nine-member committee's discussions, who would not speak publicly because proposed changes have not been announced, the committee will also seek to eliminate cut-blocks more than three yards outside the tackle box.

And the committee also wants to ban low, blindside blocks to defenders in pursuit of a quarterback who changed directions on a scramble after leaving the pocket.

Defensive players around the NFL -- who have long grumbled that the NFL doesn't protect them by rule as vigorously as it does offensive players -- may want to rejoice.

The rules changes are expected to be presented to owners during the annual NFL meetings in Phoenix that begin on March 18. At least 24 votes from owners are required to pass a rules change, yet typically owners adopt measures that have strong support from the powerful competition committee.

Clearly, the committee is intent on pursuing the agenda that it has carried to improve safety and better protect defenseless players. So the types of proposed changes that will be presented to owners are not surprising.

In addition to the extensive review, research and discussion during its annual conclave in Naples, which wrapped up Saturday, the competition committee elicited input recently from veteran players.

"Most of the blocks (targeted to be banned), you don't see much," a person with knowledge of the committee's work told USA TODAY Sports. "They fall under the code of ethics."

Cushing was injured in October on a block by New York Jets guard Matt Slauson that didn't draw a penalty, but resulted in a $10,000 fine. Slauson initially passed Cushing, then turned back towards the line of scrimmage to deliver a low blow on the unsuspecting linebacker.

Last week, Cushing told USA TODAY Sports that he would be proud to be the face of a new rule.

"If my injury further prevents other injuries, then that's success and there can be some good to come out of my injury," Cushing said. "Hopefully, my injury does change the rule and in the future will prevent tons and tons of knee injuries."
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...omNfl-TopStories+(Sports+-+NFL+-+Top+Stories)

crose · Mar 19, 2013

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=9071876

Cushing gets his wish.

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[USA Today] Cushing article

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[USA Today] Cushing article

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