When we look back at the 2013 NFL season a few things will be said. The first thing that comes to mind will be the Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito ordeal. We may talk about why in the blue fuck did the league decide to have the Super Bowl in middle of a New York City winter. One thing that will definitely be talked about is the rise of the ACL injuries.
We’re 14 weeks into the season as I’m writing this and we’re already at 41 ACL injuries this season. In 2012, there were 34 and in 2011 there were only 25. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if we reached 50 with three weeks left in the season which would double the 2011 total.
What’s going on? The answer is easy. With the greater concern for helmet to helmet contact, concussions, CTE and the NFL being sued and settling for 756 million, the league has cut back on helmet to helmet contact. Defenders don’t want to get fined, suspended or get a penalty. They’re playing within the rules and cutting seasons short by blowing out knees.
Ask the players and they’ll tell you that they would rather be hit high or in the head and worry about CTE later “IF” they get it. They’d much rather worry about a potential problem in 20-25 years than lose an entire season to a leg injury. Also with a leg injury, you may not return with your same ability.
Tony Gonzales, Falcons TE
“It should be a fineable offense. That’s just not part of football — hitting a defenseless player in his knee, that’s something we all dread as players. That’s my nightmare,” Gonzalez said, via Jim Corbett of the USA Today. “Hit me in my head (instead).”
Brandon Meriweather, Redskins FS
“To be honest, you’ve just got to go low now,” Meriweather said, according to ESPN 980′s Chris Russell. “You gotta end people’s careers.
“You gotta tear people’s ACLs,” Meriweather continued. “Mess up people’s knees. You can’t him them high anymore. You’ve just got to go low.”
What’s the NFL going to do? It’s the best sports league in the United States. Its brand is at a crossroads right now. It’s very possible that football could be what boxing is today….almost worthless on television. Mothers had to worry about concussions coming into this season and now they’re worrying about ACL injuries. Yeah, the Adrian Petersons, Calvin Johnsons, and Andrew Lucks of the world might be playing baseball, basketball and soccer in the future if reluctant moms get their way. Who the hell am I kidding, moms always get their way.
There’s been talk of making defenders have a “strike zone” from below the head and above the knees for players. Seems possible, but what happens when ball carriers lower their heads to brace for contact? What happens when players leap in the air to avoid defenders? There is no easy fix.
The strike zone is coming. Rob Gronkowski’s knee injury may not bring forth change, but just wait until one of these running QBs, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick is high tailing it to the end zone and they get blindsided in the knees by a safety. Change is gone come. Change is gone come.
The strike zone might work. You could outlaw launching from any level. When we think launching, we just think about players aiming high all the time, but when defensive backs play ankle biters they are still launching themselves, it’s just at the legs of the offensive players. If you outlaw launching all together it will force player to properly form tackle players. You know, kinda of how you were taught in Pee Wee football.
Right now, the NFL is doing it’s best to prevent concussions and later CTE problems. The problem is 41 ACL injuries in 2013. Of course, not all of those are because of defenders hitting ball carriers too low, but many of them are and if the stars aren’t on the field the NFL product is damaged.
How do you protect players’ long term health and keep them on the field in the short term?
