My opinion on Football Hitting rules

My opinion on Football Hitting rules

Remember when football was football?

    Before I go into my rant about how the game has softened over the years, I would like to preface this by saying, I deeply respect the players, coaches, and organizations that make up the National Football League’s past and present. With that being said, I think I enjoyed watching football a lot more before all of the rule changes. I understand that a lot of new rules are made to protect players; I totally and wholeheartedly understand. But what did these players think they were getting themselves into? Football in any sense is a rough game. Yes, I understand what the effect of repeated blows to the head can be. I recognize the devastation of post-career conditions like CTE and any other permanent damage that a player might endure. My contention, however, is this, they are making a lot of money to take risks to their physical health.

    I know this may seem callous of me, but there are many dangerous professions that don’t come close to making the amount of money that football players do. Football players agree to take this risk in order to make that kind of money. And I know the counter-argument, not every player makes that kind of money. But again, that’s the risk, isn’t it? Nobody is forcing them to play. If the risk of earning money wasn’t worth it, players would stop playing in pee wee, stop playing in college, seek another profession. It’s basically the most plausible “would you rather” that you can offer. Would you rather live in obscurity and be physically healthy for the rest of your life or make millions of dollars and risk a severe injury. It’s a choice that every player is able to make.

    Now, where the game is concerned. In my opinion, too many games are being decided by the subjectivity of referees. One year something is legal, the next year it’s outlawed. Think of how many great players would be suspended if they still played. Helmets are going to hit each other, horse-collars are going to happen, quarterbacks are going to be landed on eventually. The game has made many positive changes in its storied history; as for the officiating of this beloved game, I can’t say it’s changed for the better.

-By: Nick Selko