Since the dawn of time, or at least since the good 'ol game of Football has been played, we've seen hard hits in the NFL whether they were put on by bad boys Dick Butkus, Ronnie Lott, etc. But never have we seen a handful of devastating hits in one day like we've seen this past Sunday. A number of players including Brandon Mariweather of the Patriots, Dunta Robinson of the Falcons, and James Harrison of the Steelers all received fines on Tuesday for their helmet-to-helmet hits. While Harrison's fine was the largest out of the group ($75,000) for his two hits against the Cleveland Browns, Robinson's hit was by far the most crucial, as Philadelphia's DeShawn Jackson who received the blow, was sent off the field on a stretcher to the hospital where they confirmed he had sustained a concussion. Robinson was also shakin up on the play.
With so many unnecessary hits and injuries taken place in one day, it was only a matter of time before commissioner Goodell put his foot in the door and began to crack down on the helmet-to-helmet hits. Hoping to better the safety of the league and its players, Goodell and his cronies made it clear that fines will be issued for those who tackle with their helmet. As players around the league begin to voice their opinions on the new rule, Harrison who's a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2008), is threatening to retire from the game of football, saying he doesn't know if he can be effective without playing the way he's been taught since his childhood. But just like the repetitive Brett Favre retirement talk we heard about countless times during the offseason, I'm not buying it.
If the NFL plans to change its culture of hard hitting Football, they're going to have to dig a lot deeper into the archives and begin to can footage of the hard hits profited off of and embraced through highlight reels for years now. And just in case that doesn't get the point across, they ought to consider removing the 'hit-stick' button off of the Madden games while they're at it. Despite his distaste for the new rule, Harrison wasn't he only one opposed to the league outlawing the helmet-to-helmet contact. Players around the league were interviewed and a majority said they're going to play the way they've been coached to play since high school. Making their point across to the rest of its players, the league sent out videos to teams containing footage of both legal and illegal hits.
While the league was busy trying to outlaw the illegal hits and throw away all its evidence, the NFL unknowingly had pictures of the Harrison and Mariweather hits up for sale on its website -- NFL.com. That was until they were taken off early Wednesday morning, thanks to a fan who noticed them. Prices of the photos ranged anywhere from $16 to $250. The league has since issued an apology, but the truth is, a number of fans that the hard hitting aspect of the game attracts, will be lost. And unless they begin to play two-hand-touch or start wearing belts with flags hanging around their waists, the hard hits need to be kept in the game of football. Whether or not you agree, the NFL called the first week since adopting the new rule a success, as no helmet-to-helmet fines were issued in 13 games this week. But the question is, will it continue?
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