NFL Should Not Change Rules to Prevent Concussions.
"Everyone wants to be safe and no one wants to hurt each other, but then again, this is a violent game, If we were playing two-hand touch, no one would watch" (Haerens, par. 8). This is what St. Louis Rams player representative Adam Goldberg says when discussing whether or not the NFL should change rules in order to prevent concussions. The NFL should not change in order to prevent concussions. The NFL has been America's favorite sport for the majority of the last century. Making changes to the rules of the game is not the solution to preventing concussions and making the game safer. If rules are changed in attempt to prevent concussions, it will affect the popularity of the sport. As technology has advanced, concussions have become more of a topic of discussion because of the possibility of long term effects such as dementia. .
The NFL doesn't need to make changes to the rules of the game. There are better alternatives to rule changes that could be considered before making changes to Americas most popular sport. All-Pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew had this to say about why worrying about concussions should be up to the player. "The bottom line is: You have to be able to put food on the table. No one's going to sign or want a guy who can't stay healthy. I know there will be a day when I'm going to have trouble walking. I realize that, but this is what I signed up for. Injuries are part of the game. If you don't want to get hit, then you shouldn't be playing" (Haerens, Zott, par. 2). .
When the National Football League (NFL), was started in 1920, players wore small shoulder pads, and leather helmets with no facemask, for protection. Over time the game of football has advanced, and if you compared a modern football player and his equipment to one of the 1920's, you probably wouldn't think that they played the same sport. But there is still room for improvement.
