The National Football League plans on having some players wearing head impact sensors in their helmets this season in order to help protect players from concussions, reports USA Today. The league launched a $10 million incentive program that will reward people who come up with improved shock absorbent materials for helmets and other technologies to hopefully help protect players from concussions. The NFL reached a tentative $765 million settlement with more than 4,500 former players who sued the league claiming the NFL knowingly failed to protect them from concussions and other head injuries. “We’re talking about using new products in ways they haven’t been used before to provide better protection,†NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said via USA Today. “Our goal is that by midseason we will have some teams geared up,†University of North Carolina researcher and a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee, Kevin Guskiewicz said. Guskiewicz said sensor data was vital in 2011 when the league moved kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35 in an effort to reduce collisions on kickoff returns. Source: Sports Illustrated
i say the inside of every helmet should be outfitted with the 'bubble pop' packaging stuff that comes in boxes. They may need to replace them after every hit but the audio would be funny on t.v. In addition to the normal pad hitting pad, we would get a 'pop, pop, pop' i want my $10 million now
$10M? They should be able to come up with their own. NFL has that kind of money to throw around? Imagine what a charity/children's hospital, etc. could do with just half that...
this is a freaking joke right? There is no way to make it safer from concussions. You get a concussion when your brain sloshes around in your head. More padding won't help that much. Really the only way I think is to wear those humongous over sized helmets. Not the kind Tasker wore but the really huge ones so you don't have any contact with the head.
Go back to leather helmets. Lets see how many try to lead with the crown after that. Problem freaking solved.
Yes and no. They definitely want to make it look like they are putting forth an effort and money to make player safety better, but I also think that if somebody were able to provide them a good solution that it would be worth the NFL to pay that kind of money to avoid lawsuits like this in the future.
These guys are kidding right?? There own hecken network did a piece on this last month !! There is a guy in Indy who designs and builds helmets for Nascar , Indycar and Motorcycle racers.This guy has built and tested a helmet for NFL,and league hasn't even looked at it !! There are already better helmets available,sounds like the league is just buying time for Riddell to catch up!
