Let's Fix Professional Football

Let’s fix the concussions in football problem. This may seem like the opposite of a solution. I’ll admit it’s counter-intuitive. Here’s what you do. Take away protective gear. Let them have a jock strap and maybe shin guards but that is all.  

Football players are the most concussion prone athletes in sports.  These guys are so padded and protected they begin to feel invincible. When your body is so shielded you have little fear of using it as a battering ram. A full speed collision is not such a painful proposition.  

Stated clearly, the theory is this: When your body is not padded and cushioned in every conceivable spot you will use it in ways you wouldn’t were it not padded. This results in much harder collisions with greater consequence. The no padding theory works for a number of reasons. One, you won’t find guys still playing 15 or 20 years after their college career is over. Two, the hits will be less devastating. Three, players will be much less likely to leap into the air to make body sacrificing catches. Four, when your head is unprotected you are much more careful with how you tackle and collide.  

My theory that less protective equipment would actually be safer comes from watching Rugby. Those guys are TOUGH!  They wear very little protective gear. The only head gear they wear is a sort of cloth helmet that looks like the helmets worn by the football players of yesteryear. These are only worn by certain players and not everyone who is eligible to wear one does.

There is another thing I think should be done to make football a less injurious sport. End the use of pain blocking injections. If you can’t play because of pain then don’t play. Pain is your body telling you something is wrong.  If a guy doesn’t have access to powerful pain blocking drugs that allow him to continue playing though injured, he won’t end up with a more grievous injury.

So, what do you think? Am I wrong? Tell me why I’m wrong. I’d love to read your thoughts on this topic. I’d enjoy exploring it further and in depth. Comment your responses, if you’d like.