Great read. You've been a leader in promoting action on concussions in football, promoting technological advances that reduce concussions and helping parents understand the issues surrounding youth tackle football. I also love that you noted girls' and women's soccer has concussion issues. Thank you for your leadership on this issue and using your voice to highlight it. Question: you also keep saying that football's popularity is both growing and not a given. Concussions are one key reason why growth might be limited. Are you concerned that the advances in helmet tech will give parents a false sense of security and actually increase the number of kids who play tackle before 13?
Thanks for the kind words. I am concerned especially now that NIL may cause parents to think “he could make money in college “ tackle in helmets should be banned below age 13. We don’t let 10 year olds drive cars we shouldn’t let them bash each others heads
I don't know if you read it but I just finished reading Larry Csonka's autobiography. He said that he doesn't believe kids should play contact football until junior high. Not many tougher players than him and he's even advocating that.
I believe it was Jerry Kramer in "Instant Replay" who wrote that one reason the Green Bay Packers won five NFL titles under Vince Lombardi (and the only NFL team to three-peat, twice!) that they achieved those goals through shared hardship. That, and the fact that Lombardi had forged an unbreakable bond among all players -- black and white. Hence, Kramer concluded, they were victorious because they loved one another, especially the coach who had demanded so much from each member of what was the very definition of a team.
"Last season there were 213 NFL concussions, in 2022 were 219. The average for the prior five seasons was 270."
In addition to the other measures you mentioned, this decline is probably also due to the fact that in 2018 the NFL began banning certain helmets that performed poorly in testing.
I recently saw an interview in discussing about Tua Tagovailoa where Kurt Warner stated that when he watched his son play for Temple he was more concerned about his health than his performance. Very telling and troublesome. Maybe it's just me, but it seems injuries in football have become more of an integral part of the sport than should be. Almost every week some team's fortune is thrown into disarray by a catastrophic injury to a key player. Not a situation that is optimal for the future of the sport.
"All units, all units, be on the lookout for Lamar Jackson – the version of him that won the 2023 NFL MVP."
This is a little unfair. Jackson was easily the Ravens' best player in week 1 with 395 yards of total offense. It's hardly his fault they lost the game. (If Zay Flowers recognizes the defense better, or Isiah Likely has a slightly smaller foot, the Ravens would have gotten a TD and (correctly) gone for 2.)
Jackson wasn't quite as dominant in week 2, but he played well enough to win. The INT he threw bounced off his receiver's hands. If the Ravens bothered covering the two players Minshew threw to--or if John Harbaugh weren't a complete buffoon with the challenge flag--the Ravens would have had a chance to tie the game or take the lead.
Woulda coulda shoulda, yes. But the Ravens being 0-2 isn't because Lamar stinks.
Great article, and one that can't be emphasized often enough. Under the heading of everything old is new again, in John Underwood's seminal series on violence in football (written 36 years(!) ago in Sports Illustrated) he talked about soft helmet caps, and how they could help reduce concussions. One of the problems was that coaches missed hearing the crack of helmet hits, which the soft caps muffled. It has taken a long time since that article, but it sounds like, at least in the pros, the neanderthal attitudes have mostly passed on (or else the economic costs have simply become too great.)
Over the last decade, NFL teams are making smarter decisions on 4th down which should lead to more points being scored. NFL kickers have gotten amazingly accurate on FG between 45 and 55 yards, which should lead to more scoring. Rules and penalty enforcement are consistently being changed to favor the offense, which should lead to more scoring. Scoring is down, please help it make sense.
Great read. You've been a leader in promoting action on concussions in football, promoting technological advances that reduce concussions and helping parents understand the issues surrounding youth tackle football. I also love that you noted girls' and women's soccer has concussion issues. Thank you for your leadership on this issue and using your voice to highlight it. Question: you also keep saying that football's popularity is both growing and not a given. Concussions are one key reason why growth might be limited. Are you concerned that the advances in helmet tech will give parents a false sense of security and actually increase the number of kids who play tackle before 13?
Thanks for the kind words. I am concerned especially now that NIL may cause parents to think “he could make money in college “ tackle in helmets should be banned below age 13. We don’t let 10 year olds drive cars we shouldn’t let them bash each others heads
I don't know if you read it but I just finished reading Larry Csonka's autobiography. He said that he doesn't believe kids should play contact football until junior high. Not many tougher players than him and he's even advocating that.
thanks for letting me know.
My favourite social media post of the weekend: "The Barkley drop tonight will go down as the highlight of the Giants season".
Given the Giants woeful outlook and the way Barkley left town to a division rival, I thought this was the perfect comment.
Sinuses broken
But if not for TMQ
Texas fall would suck.
And it's not even cedar fever season yet!
I believe it was Jerry Kramer in "Instant Replay" who wrote that one reason the Green Bay Packers won five NFL titles under Vince Lombardi (and the only NFL team to three-peat, twice!) that they achieved those goals through shared hardship. That, and the fact that Lombardi had forged an unbreakable bond among all players -- black and white. Hence, Kramer concluded, they were victorious because they loved one another, especially the coach who had demanded so much from each member of what was the very definition of a team.
"Last season there were 213 NFL concussions, in 2022 were 219. The average for the prior five seasons was 270."
In addition to the other measures you mentioned, this decline is probably also due to the fact that in 2018 the NFL began banning certain helmets that performed poorly in testing.
Good point.
I recently saw an interview in discussing about Tua Tagovailoa where Kurt Warner stated that when he watched his son play for Temple he was more concerned about his health than his performance. Very telling and troublesome. Maybe it's just me, but it seems injuries in football have become more of an integral part of the sport than should be. Almost every week some team's fortune is thrown into disarray by a catastrophic injury to a key player. Not a situation that is optimal for the future of the sport.
Always a fun and insightful read. And always includes some additional story or knowledge that is very interesting.
Thanks for the kind words
Small thing, but the 0-2 Colts also have earned their way into the Stats of the Week #10 section. (From a Colts fan)
Thanks for catching! Will add when at my desk.
"I am the NFL Rams game management coordinator,
I help the coaches figure out what the hell these time outs are for.
Do we run or pass or simply take a planned delay of game,
If we go one and four the head coach can always assign me the blame......"
In the MNF game, PHI was only up 18-15 when they took that field goal in the last two minutes.
yikes you're right will change immediately thanks
"All units, all units, be on the lookout for Lamar Jackson – the version of him that won the 2023 NFL MVP."
This is a little unfair. Jackson was easily the Ravens' best player in week 1 with 395 yards of total offense. It's hardly his fault they lost the game. (If Zay Flowers recognizes the defense better, or Isiah Likely has a slightly smaller foot, the Ravens would have gotten a TD and (correctly) gone for 2.)
Jackson wasn't quite as dominant in week 2, but he played well enough to win. The INT he threw bounced off his receiver's hands. If the Ravens bothered covering the two players Minshew threw to--or if John Harbaugh weren't a complete buffoon with the challenge flag--the Ravens would have had a chance to tie the game or take the lead.
Woulda coulda shoulda, yes. But the Ravens being 0-2 isn't because Lamar stinks.
QBs get the most money and also the most criticism. It comes with the territory!
Typo: "To soon to tell" should be "Too soon to tell"
Thanks for catching will fix soon
thank you for the continuing focus on concussion helmet tech updates that you pioneered decades ago
Great article, and one that can't be emphasized often enough. Under the heading of everything old is new again, in John Underwood's seminal series on violence in football (written 36 years(!) ago in Sports Illustrated) he talked about soft helmet caps, and how they could help reduce concussions. One of the problems was that coaches missed hearing the crack of helmet hits, which the soft caps muffled. It has taken a long time since that article, but it sounds like, at least in the pros, the neanderthal attitudes have mostly passed on (or else the economic costs have simply become too great.)
Great read as always. I am sad to see no mention of weasel coach Mike Norvell getting beat by his former team that FSU paid to come to town.
that's a good point. there is so much weasel behavior in CFB it's hard to squeeze it all in!
Agreed, it’s definitely hard. This one really caught my eye because it’s so rare for the former university to to get their exacting revenge like this.
Over the last decade, NFL teams are making smarter decisions on 4th down which should lead to more points being scored. NFL kickers have gotten amazingly accurate on FG between 45 and 55 yards, which should lead to more scoring. Rules and penalty enforcement are consistently being changed to favor the offense, which should lead to more scoring. Scoring is down, please help it make sense.
Have a TMQ coming on this very point!