Nfl Helmet-to-Helmet Hit Rule

Let Them Play the Game Every part of the game of football means very much to me, which is why I have a passion for the game and why I researched this topic. Helmets are one of the most important pieces of safety gear a football player can have. In October 2010, a new rule was signed off to be placed in the National Football League (NFL) rule book for the safety of NFL players. The helmet-to-helmet hit rule is as follow: using any part of the helmet to butt, spear, or ram any part of the opponent’s helmet (Azpiri). A helmet-to-helmet hit is illegal in the NFL now.The punishment for a helmet-to-helmet hit for a NFL player is being fine with a gradual increase the next times they do it and/or suspension depending on the player’s penalty history. I propose for there not to be a helmet-to-helmet hit rule. The NFL should not include the helmet-to-helmet rule, by doing so; the rule will begin by taking one of the most exciting and popular parts out of the game, hard hits. One of the reasons why I believe that is because they have safety gear on such as: helmets, shoulder pads, knee pads, and thigh pads.If they keep adding rules, pretty soon, we will be able to call it flag football without tackling. Football is a violent sport, when players sign contracts with millions of dollars attached to them; they know how violent the game has always been. Not to mention, no one has to play. If a player does not want to take a hard hit, they do not have to. I agree with Rick Cleveland when he says, â€Å"They are ruining the game we love. Football is by nature a violent sport. Nobody says you have to play. Let them play football† (Cleveland).During my research, I found many NFL players that would agree that the helmet-to-helmet rule should not be a rule. For instance, James Harrison, who plays for the Pittsburg Steelers, made a statement after a helmet-to-helmet hit on a Cleveland Brown player during a game, which read â€Å"†¦ I didn’t hit that hard, to be honest with you. When you get a guy on the ground, it’s a perfect tackle† (Harrison). As Harrison said, a tackle is a tackle, no matter where or how hard you hit them. It is to me understanding that each and every NFL football player is taught everyday to play hard and it hard. NFL players know that they are taking a massive risk of getting injured every time they step a foot on a football field, whether it be for a game or just practice. If you have the football in your possession, you should be able to take a hit anywhere on your body, even if it is on your helmet. There is no point in time where a line should be drawn. If a player makes helmet-to-helmet contact unintentionally, he should not be fined as much as if it were intentional. Helmets keep a players head safe during a game.Most NFL players still wear helmets that were made in the nineteen-nineties (Halstead). DeSean Jackson now has an anti-concussion football helmet (Chase). If helmet companies ma nufactured more anti-concussion helmets, players would be better off and the rule would definitely not need to be in play. Also, according to Halstead, in two thousand-thirteen, players will finally have price breaks from helmet companies to be able to buy newer safe helmets (Halstead). If players buy more anti-concussion helmets, they would not get injured as easy nor would the helmet-to-helmet hit rule need to take place.