Helmet to helmet

I was going to look that up and post it but I was too lazy, thank you for that.

It has been confirmed by the powers that be in the NFL that a Helmet to Helmet hit is NOT illegal. I put up a video in this very thread where Harrison(Steelers) Launched AND hit Helmet to Helmet on a running back and knocked him out and he was NOT Flagged or Fined for it.

He was however fined 75k for the forearm hit to the Defenseless reciever.

The key word being defenseless. This goes not only for receivers, but for ALL players on the field.

 

Thanks for the correction. To answer your question in bold it is the rule referred to in post #16, which says that ALL HITS directed at an offensive players head are illegal. TMQ pointed this out in this weeks article as well.

"Existing rule 12, 2, 7g bans "using any part of a player's helmet (including the top/crown and forehead/hairline parts) or facemask to butt, spear, or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily," and also states, "violent or unnecessary use of the helmet is impermissible against any opponent." Any opponent, including the ballcarrier. So it's not legal to ram your helmet into the ballcarrier's helmet. But many in the football world think it is -- a reason the rules must become clearer. And attitudes must change. If it really were "perfectly clean" to deliver deliberate blows to a ballcarrier's head, then no one should play football. "

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page...1019_tuesday_morning_quarterback&sportCat=nfl

As I said, the league does NOT enforce this, but it is in there. Any hit initiated by a defender on an offensive player (which would include RBs) that is initiated with the helmet would be considered ramming, and hence illegal.

Maybe they should re-write the rule.

 

I can see your point now and I agree that the rule you state can be misleading to what is or isn't legal...

The NFL has just made a video to explain the rules on the hits:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d81b80962/Player-safety?module=HP_headlines

 

Thanks for posting that video, I have been wanting to see that.

To the point...How many examples and how many times does he have to say "Defenseless" in that video before the point is clear though? I have said this over and over in this thread and that video clarifies my point exactly.


Helmet to Helmet is FINE, arm to Helmet is FINE, as long as the guy is not Defenseless.

Again, I point to Exhibit A as evidence. This video plainly shows an intentional Launch and Helmet to Helmet hit that knocked out the Browns running back last Sunday (1:20-1:30-ish) and no Flag or Fine was levied!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wGj91sI0Fs&feature=player_embedded

 

My issue is that I feel players are going to start getting excessively fined/suspended for hits that are not really helmet to helmet. Or hits where the defender would simply make a great tackle..but in a split second the WR ducks his head..and now it becomes a helmet to helmet. This game is too fast to avoid certain hits

 

NFL players these days are freaks of nature. Guys are 5'11 and 195 pounds and hit you as hard as a truck. The rules are being enforced to preserve human life, and there is no arguing that as a good plan.

However, I do think there needs to be serious review and consideration as far as the suspensions go. It should be clear that malicious intent was there before you go taking away games from players. For instance, that hit on DeSean Jackson was nothing more then DeSean Jackson being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kevin Kolbs fault, really. No way there should have been a suspension on that hit. New England's safety (drawing a blank) however, nailed Tod Heap (nice) helmet to helmet with the intent of taking him out. There needs to be a line drawn with 'intent' being the marker that draws it.

 

That hit is in the grey area. The receiver was defenseless, that is a fact(he just caught the ball and did not have time to react), but the tackler had accidental contact with the head. The NFL is saying they don't care if it was accidental, if you hit a guy in the neck/head when he is defenseless you will be subject to heavy fines and/or suspension.

The NFL has also said, they are not in the business of trying to get in a players mind and decipher their "intent".

 

Exactly! You have to draw the line somewhere... I remember seeing an interview with a player, where he said something like:
"If I can't walk off the field on my own feet, I'd better be dead!!"
I applaud the warrior spirit, but I don't want to see any of this... I like the big hit as much as anyone, but I want the other guy to shake it off and get up. I wont be happy to see anyone numb on the grow.

Besides, all those hits that happen this past weekend have one thing in common... None of those players could return to the game.