Has America’s favorite sport outgrown its humanity?
The NFL is desperately fining players and threatening suspensions after a recent spate of violent tackles. Helmet-on-helmet hits that lead to concussions and future health risks have expanded past quarterbacks and now include all players. Suddenly, several Washington Redskins wonder whether the sport will be played in a bubble.
“Maybe some day we’ll be using robots,” center Casey Rabach said.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined $75,000 by the NFL. New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson were penalized $50,000 each for flagrant hits. Several Redskins understood those sanctions but wondered how far it will extend.
“It’s football. It’s a contact sport,” fullback Mike Sellers said. “We’re already limited so much as to what we can do as it is. Everybody is thinking about the fines in the back of their minds — should I make this hit or not? It’s not like I’m trying to hit them in the head. I’m trying to make the tackle.”
Said quarterback Rex Grossman: “As long as you play within the confines of the rules, injuries happen. It’s just part of the game. They’re doing a good job trying to protect vicious, unnecessary hits.”
Still, Big Brother reviews on Mondays with fines on Tuesdays smell like trouble to players.
“When there’s no foul on the field, I don’t understand the whole coming back and fining people,” Rabach said. “Roger Goodell gave himself a lot of power, and he’s definitely using that power.”
The increasing size of players partly fuels the violent hits. The average player is 248 pounds, 10 percent heavier than in 1985. Offensive tackles average 318 pounds. Former Redskins guard Russ Grimm, who received his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring at halftime of Sunday’s Washington-Indianapolis game, was 273 pounds during his 1981-91 career. Today’s Redskins offensive line averages 306 pounds, with guard Kory Lichtensteiger the smallest at 290. Conversely, the average U.S. male weighs 189 pounds.
Former Redskins safety Pat Fischer was notorious for his violent hits from 1961 to 1977 even though he weighed just 170 pounds. Today, he would be the team’s smallest player aside from kick returner Brandon Banks.
Cornerback Carlos Rogers, the lightest defensive starter at 192 pounds, doesn’t believe penalties will change anything because most helmet-on-helmet hits are accidental.
“I’m not changing nothing,” he said. “I don’t want to hit nobody head-on anyway. I’m not aiming for anybody’s head. Sometimes guys go at somebody’s chest and if the receiver lowers his head, it can be a head-on collision. You can’t control that when running fast.”
Added safety LaRon Landry: “I’m not going to change at all. That’s how you get hurt if you change, slow down or try to alter your play. … Helmet-to-helmet, that’s a no brainer.”
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com and Twitter @Snide_Remarks or e-mail [email protected].
