Antrel Rolle Says NFL's Crackdown On Illegal Hits "Absolutely Ridiculous"

New York Giants S Antrel Rolle became the latest NFL player to criticize the league for its plan to step up enforcement of penalties for violent hits. Rolle, in an appearance on WFAN-AM, said that defensive players have already curtailed some of their aggressiveness in order to adhere to NFL policies for player safeties and the league risks watering down its product if it reins in players even more. Said Rolle (via the New York Daily News): "This is the game of football. This is a game of speed. This is a game of power. This is a game of physical guys going to battle. Once you start saying to guys 'You'll get suspended for a game,' that's when you're going to get a very, very tentative football game. "And you know, it's fine for the offensive players but I'm on the defensive side of the ball. So are you telling me that now I have to slow down? I think we're already being cautious of what we're doing and how we're attacking the ball or how we're trying to make a tackle. I think that's absolutely ridiculous because under any circumstances you can't just absolutely have control over your body when you're pursuing a tackle." NFL VP of football operations Ray Anderson said Tuesday that the league would begin increasing discipline on players who are found to level violent hits with flagrant disregard for others' safety -- with a special emphasis on head and neck safety. He added that the discipline could include suspensions. Rolle, who has been fined for aggressive hits in the past, contended that "nothing's intentional" when a defender hits a player and that to hand down a suspension would be an indication of guilt. "You suspend someone for doing wrong, or misbehavior, or things of that nature," Rolle said. "But now you're just suspending people for playing the game. And like I said, No one tries to hurt anyone, but sometimes in the game of football it's going to happen."

Source: USA Today

 

He's got a point. What happens when Adrian Peterson lowers his head and gives Rolle a H2H hit resulting in a concussion? Will a rule be put into effect to not allow backs to lower their heads? Will backs need to change the way they play and their running style?

 

No because that's not against the rules. The rules they have in place haven't changed. The way they plan to enforce them have. IF they change the rules then Rolle and Harrison and others MAY at that time have a league to stand on but right now they just look like whiny snitches because they won't get away with breaking the rules as much.

 

I've never seen a back lower and launch the way you see defenders do - in terms of the physics of the position a back will get more trucking jam out of their shoulder pads anyway. Also these H2Hs aren't usually on RBs but on WRs and TEs who are moving WAY faster.

 

It doesn't always take a "launch" to cause a H2H injury.

 

true, but a 'launch' certainly increases the chances .................

and I've heard people talking about the ball carriers running with their helmets down and, although it is not a safe way for them to run, they aren't inflicting possible injury on other players because they are leaning down to make themselves smaller and harder to tackle, NOT trying to throw their bodies into someone's facemask to hurt the opposing player.

 

Ask me when that happens. It's too hypothetical right now.

I think the league will just take it on a case-by-case basis and screw the language of the rule. If it's a defenseless receiver and the hit appears dirty a suspension could come. In other words, there is an element of common sense here. Don't do something that will draw a flag and you won't get suspended. Even last year those same plays would draw a flag and a fine. So quit snitchin', Antrel, sorry you can't play dirty and get away with it.

 

I heard today that most of the players that are seriously injured in the past have been the defender and not the receiver. I forget the %-tage.

Adrian Peterson?

 

Which means what? The league is making this move to protect ALL players involved in these hits. Not just one side of the other.

 

I think this Jacobs "hit" is even a better example. Hit Woodson right in the chin.

YouTube - Charles Woodson got hit by Brandon Jacobs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSi1EZix56o&feature=related

 

My all-time favorite Peterson...

YouTube - Adrian Peterson Runs Over William Gay

 

Difference: the defensive player is not defenseless in any of those plays.

 

honestly bone crushing hits are a huge excitement factor in football...this is like eliminating crashes in nascar by making the cars slow down and giving them traffic rules.

just more advantage to the offense. i hate you mr goodell, you are the worst

 

A bunch of you pansies cry about two extra games shortening careers. Now the league ups the enforcement of a rule on the books for a few years to protect players from injury and you would think the world is ending.

 

agreed.

some keep saying the league is implementing new rules. there are NO new rules. they are simply enforcing existing ones.

and, as you state, some are acting like this is going to 'ruin' the game. there may be some idiots that only watch football for the hard hits and concussions. these are the same idiots that only watch hockey for the fights. some of us actually appreciate the sport for the skills, talent, knowledge that these players and coaches have and the high level that they execute the game. if i want to watch someone get bloodied and knocked out, i will watch a DIFFERENT sport (MMA). maybe i'm too much of a football purist and even though i understand WHY teams like having an enforcer on defense (it helps win championships), I can also see the game being just as entertaining without the thuggery and injuries.