In an expansive and well-written profile, Don Van Natta Jr. reports that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has privately expressed fears that a player could die on the field if the game’s “hard-knocks culture doesn’t change.†According to the report for ESPN, Goodell has told one Hall of Fame player he speaks to on a regular basis he is “terrified of it.†Goodell fears tragedy striking for all the reasons you can imagine. "It wouldn't just be a tragedy,†the Hall of Famer told Van Natta. “It would be awfully bad for business.†Business, of course, is booming under Goodell and that is one of the primary focuses of the piece. The NFL is expected to exceed $10 billion in revenue this year and Goodell has marked $25 billion as a goal by 2027, in less than 15 years. Only once in NFL history has a player died during a contest. Detroit Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes suffered a heart attack during a game in 1971. Source: National Football Post
He is right to be concerned about a death on the field, as everybody should be. However a death is far more likely from an undiagnosed health condition than a death from say a hard hit to the head.
well, i think he has every reason in the world to be concerned. deaths have occurred on football fields in the past due to tackles and a lot of these dumbass nfl players are really playing with fire the way they're using their helmets.
He may as well commit suicide out of fear of death. Football is a violent game. I don't see death hurting NASCAR.
Some people are funnuy.. First you snitch and moan about how Goodell is pussifying the game. Then when he starts talking deaths its all of a sudden "he should worry". Where was all this talk when he was trying to make the game safer? just sayin
to me when someone is terrified, I picture them cowering, huddled in fear in some darkened room. I laugh when I picture him doing that. And I still stand by my assumption he is freaking up the game.
Players are getting bigger, faster, and stronger. The forces involved in those impacts will only get bigger. It's simple physics.
Anyone remember the name Chuck Hughes? He was a WR for the Lions. During the Lions-Bears game on October 24, 1971, he died on the field from a heart attack.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Suck it, Roger. Yes, the players are ignorant for using their heads on tackles. But, you're worried that a CONTACT sport could result in death because you don't want to lose money. Would it suck? Yep. It would be horrific. But, fans do not want to see this game turn into flag football or two hand touch. We can get that at local YMCAs around our towns. Stop pussifying the game.
I Think the odds are that a baseball player dies on the field before a football player does.a football player has some protection,let a pitcher take a line drive to the temple,and he is dead!
