A broadcast report over the weekend suggested commissioner Roger Goodell is taking yet another step to ensure player safety by forming a Player Safety Commission. Reportedly, former Morgan State linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Lanier will be asked to join the board, along with ex-Oakland coach and renowned broadcaster John Madden, Hall of Fame tackle Anthony Munoz and hard-hitting former San Francisco defensive back Ronnie Lott. Among one of the options to be discussed to reduce the number of devastating injuries is something that could be considered sacrilegious: widening the field. The standard NFL field is 53 1/3 yards wide and by comparison, the Canadian Football League gridiron is 65 yards wide with end zones 25 yards deep. The move could be comparable to those who would like to see basketball rims raised to put more finesse back in the game. Source: Comcast Sports Baltimore
player dafety my butt its make the passing game easier widen the feild that that just gives dbs a more of a runnig start
eh, they're just going to discuss it. i don't think it has legs. i can't see lott, lanier, or madden going for something like that.
We will see records broken for punt and kick returns on a wider field and most teams with speed backs will just run sweep plays for half of the game. I don't think most NFL stadiums could accomodate a wider field. Most of all, how does this make anything safer? I wonder if Goodell actually thinks before says crap like this. GTFO of the NFL.
GAYGAYGAYGAYGAY Dumb to suggest it because it won't happen. Getting tired of all these nonsensical demands only meant to counter the other side.
No. It's already been discussed and one of the problems would be widening the field at places like Soldier Field. They would have to dig out and remodel all around the stadium. It would be a major headache and cost millions to do it.
Just leave the freaking game alone. It's gotten down to the only sport I watch, and now they want it to be touch football on a wide field played by non agressive friutcakes like Goodell. Screw!
many believe that a smaller field forces the players to be in a close proximity to one another. they think a wider field would force defenses to spread out, giving a receiver more time to see a hit coming and creating more situations where the defender must focus on fundamental tackling instead of just coming in for the clean-up hit at the end because there's already 2 of his teammates going in for the tackle because they're 'right there'. Personally, I agree with this sentiment. However, I think it would put defenses at yet another disadvantage and it would change the way the game is played and i'm not sure anyone is real excited about changing the game that drastically.
It was already obvious that the rules were being influenced in favour of the passing offense. Making the field wider would only confirm it, "safety" is bs.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's going to cost the NFL millions and millions of dollars to do this.
