Proposed Rule Changes

[IndyBison]

I've belly ached about this before but..............Indy, what is your opinion about aggressive stiff arms to the facemask by an offensive player. Seems like a double standard. When a defender even inadvertantly grabs the facemask it's 15 yards and an automatic 1st down. Most stiff arms to the face/facemask by ball carriers are much more violent, yet it is legal. When this happens, the defenders helmet is often pushed or even "punched" into distortion or ripped off. In your years of officiating meetings, has this ever been considered as a potential rule change to punish an offensive player, given that it may cause a higher risk of injury.
Through the years, the Bison running backs have befefitted from the stiffarm (most recently Roehl and Paschall moreso than McNorton and Ojuri), but I just don't like the double standard.

We talk about this but not often. No less than defensive face mask fouls though either. College eliminated the 5-yard foul a couple years ago so it's only a foul now if you grab AND twist or yank regardless of whether you are offense or defense. Typically what you see on the stiff arm is just contact but no grasping or twisting. I think some stiff arms should be considered illegal hands to the face and maybe we'll see more emphasis on that with the new helmet rule. A helmet still shouldn't come off with a normal stiff arm if the helmet is fitted properly.

[IzzyFlexion]

We talk about this but not often. No less than defensive face mask fouls though either. College eliminated the 5-yard foul a couple years ago so it's only a foul now if you grab AND twist or yank regardless of whether you are offense or defense. Typically what you see on the stiff arm is just contact but no grasping or twisting. I think some stiff arms should be considered illegal hands to the face and maybe we'll see more emphasis on that with the new helmet rule. A helmet still shouldn't come off with a normal stiff arm if the helmet is fitted properly.

I was going to add....but forgot......that at the very least, an offensive ball carrier should be flagged for "Illegal Hands to the Face". This foul is called on offensive lineman from time to time, so I do think that would be an appropriate call.

[td577]

The helmet rule is interesting because I was under the wrong assumption they were popping off because of design. We started seeing it more with the newer style helmet and I thought it was a design issue to lesson the concussions by popping off. The improper wearing makes a lot more sense.

I do think if you really want to make the game concussion friendlier, you take off the helmets and the pads. Part of the violence in today's game is the reduction of pain by having padding. It would be very strange to see today's football game played without pads, but I do think it would reduce injuries. Most guys would be unwilling to dish out the violent contact without the protection, but there will always be some with a lot thicker heads and a higher tolerance for pain that would again make it necessary to put pads on people.

[Hammerhead]

Didn't a few NFL players once wear a small foam pad over the outside of their helmets? It seems to me that a soft layer of foam would reduce the G-forces on the tackler and the ball carrier since the change in velocity would be spread out over more time.

[56BISON73]

Didn't a few NFL players once wear a small foam pad over the outside of their helmets? It seems to me that a soft layer of foam would reduce the G-forces on the tackler and the ball carrier since the change in velocity would be spread out over more time.

I think Thee OSU had that on their helmets along time ago. LB Willie Lanier from the KC Chiefs also. But after awhile they figured it didnt make any difference.

[HerdBot]

I was wondering what was going on. I had never seen so many helmets coming off as this year. And why would you not want to wear it correctly? I hated it when my helmet was loose.

I didnt realize leather helmets had chin straps.

[IndyBison]

I do think if you really want to make the game concussion friendlier, you take off the helmets and the pads. Part of the violence in today's game is the reduction of pain by having padding. It would be very strange to see today's football game played without pads, but I do think it would reduce injuries. Most guys would be unwilling to dish out the violent contact without the protection, but there will always be some with a lot thicker heads and a higher tolerance for pain that would again make it necessary to put pads on people.

I've heard several people make that suggestion. Helmets give players a false sense of security. The rules against illegal helmet contact are meant to protect the hitter as much as the hittee.

[Bison Dan]

If the goal is to increase safety then do away with pads and lets just play flag football.

[Hammerhead]

I still got my butt kicked playing flag football in high school phys ed trying to block people who outweighed me by 50 lbs.

If the goal is to increase safety then do away with pads and lets just play flag football.

[SDbison]

Rule changes are not needed. Just like a bunch of politicians somebody is always messing with the rules. As for the helmet thing how about the players start snapping their chin straps with BOTH snaps. That is the problem. Encourage them to do so or risk getting their head split wide open. No rule is needed for that.
Helmets are better than ever, and even the ones back in the late 1970's were pretty good. At least players back then had enough sense to wear them correctly and they stayed on.