Daily Short #183, May 24th, 2018: New NFL Helmet Rule a Threat to Football as we Know it
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It was a last-minute, but game-changing 11th item quietly slipped onto the agenda for the 2018 NFL owners' meetings back in late March: A nebulous new helmet rule that we only learned was voted on (and approved) after the fact.
Like no one would notice.
Unfortunately for the league, the new rule was adopted just one month prior to sports gambling being becoming legalized and we'll get to that in a moment. But as for the rule itself and what it means for football, we can start by recognizing the motives of the league in taking this very aggressive and sudden step:
- Give the impression of care for current players
- Mitigate future financial risks and general CYA RE: future concussion settlements; and
- Make a sweeping change to the game that would trickle down to all levels, including Youth Football, that would fundamentally change how the game is played in hopes of restoring lagging youth participation numbers in the wake of concussion concerns among parents of prospective youth athletes
All the talk coming out of the spring meeting that took place early this week is, of course, the outrage-mob that is harping on any attempt by the NFL to curb anthem protests. It's amazing that there isn't more coverage or concern about a new helmet rule that will change the way the game is played in a few key areas.
Because, the much, much more important news to come out of the spring meetings was that new (and horrible thus far) NFL Head of Officiating Al Riveron finally gave a presentation about the new helmet rule and the circumstances under which players will be penalized, and in some cases ejected.
The new standards, for lack of a better term, are horseshit that may mark the beginning of the end of American Football as we know it. Cockamamie, backwards poppycock taken to the extreme. How can the NFL be so cavalier in implementing a new rule that might change the sport irreparably forever? Especially when you can't exactly put the genie back in the bottle. Now that this is a rule, there is no going back, because "going back" can be framed as an indirect admission by the league and its independent but associated franchises that adherence to the fundamentals of the game and its traditions trumps player safety. It's really an incredible lack of common sense and even the smallest hint of strategic foresight from a multi-billion dollar business entity.
Al Riveron showed the same webinar Tuesday to the assembled media at the meetings that was shown to head coaches, league executives and gameday officials after the new rule was approved. Some notes from the webinar:
1) You can no longer lower your head to initiate contact anywhere on the football field at any position. You may lower your head to defend yourself, but you may not lower it to initiate contact.
2) As for running backs, Riveron says that much of the time a runner will get into a lower position to "defend himself" through the line of scrimmage, which would seem to indicate that between-the-tackles running could be immune to scrutiny under the new rule. Not so fast, Riveron made sure to qualify, "that sometimes the running back is a certain number of yards deep on a sweep, and you have a pulling guard. Now they have choices as to what they're going to do. Space and distance, a lot of times, will determine if they are initiating or not. He's gotta get his head up, he can't come in lowering his head. Can't do it. And a lot of this is going to be coaching. We've had several coaches said, 'well, what can we do?' You can't coach that anymore."
3) Players that do need to lower their centers of gravity to execute the assignments asked of them "have to find an angle" to use their shoulder" instead of any part of the head, helmet, facemask, etc.
4) Lowering the helmet and initiating contact is a foul even if the contact made is not with the other player's own head/neck area. The hit does not have to be to the neck or head area to cause an ejection, either.
5) The call will be made on the field and will be reviewable by Riveron and his crew back in New York. An ejection can be overruled by New York. "If we overrule an ejection," Riveron said, "the 15-yard penalty still stays."
6) The ejections will not carry over to the next game. However, fines and disciplinary actions will be in play following the ejection.
7) Offensive linemen will have to keep their heads up when firing out of their three-point stance and will not be allowed to initiate contact with their helmets.
On Wednesday, NFLPA EVP for Football Operations Troy Vincent joined NBC's "PFT Live" to discuss the new rule. Here are a few takeaways from his interview with Mike Florio:
"We just have to make some adjustments here," Vincent said. "We know it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but you just look at the data ... we have to make sure the use of the helmet is strictly as a protective piece of equipment. That was the root of all conversation ... We just said, we've got to get back to the proper use of the helmet."
On if this will cause us to see extra flags, penalties and game delays as the rules are adjusted to by players and officials:
"Possibly in the preseason where we're properly educating and making sure that both the coaches, players and officials are aligned ... it was a lot of debate about 'are there going to be more flags? Nobody wants more penalties here; are players going to be thrown out?' We saw less than five plays that would result in ejections (from last season during a review of all questionable occurrences). The players will adjust. They will continue to do so. We just want the officials to call what they see. We've been very clear about where we want the helmet to be: There is no permissable use of the helmet ... we feel like we've done a good job of educating both the coaches and the officials, now we're beginning to implement the education to the players."
On if elimination of the three-point stance had been discussed:
"No, I haven't heard that one yet ... It's something that as we look at the future, it's really about hands-first, head aside. In our coaching and owners session back at the beginning of May, we said 'let's get the hands back in the game, let's get the shoulder back in the game.' It may require, with the evolution of the game, will you eventually... will the three-point stance vs. two-point stance be looked at?"
Yikes. And to think we have Al Riveron running the show here. The same Al Riveron who infuriated fans in 2017 with his explanation of the cockamamie catch rule that aided in three fraudulent Patriots wins during the season. The same Al Riveron who even the officials believe sucks at replay reviews. The same Al Riveron who overturned Zach Miller's touchdown on a play so gruesome it looked like he might lose a leg and which prompted ex-head of officials Mike Pereira to say of Riveron that the NFL office is getting "way too technical" in its reviews and overturning of on-field calls. The same Al Riveron who managed to take what seemed like a very good new, simplified catch rule coming into 2018 involving these three simple factors:
1) two feet down or another body part
2) control of the football
3) a football move such as a third step or extending/reaching for line to gain
and then add in this nebulous beauty to screw it all up and to make sure that he still gets to be the Wizard of Oz back in New York who has final say over all things useless ...
"or the ability to perform such an act"
... which no one knows what the hell it means, how it will be applied or how to coach players to do it.
Al Riveron could screw up a wet dream and now he's in charge of a new rule that could change football's future forever.
My main concerns with the new rule are overwhelming, but the most immediate notable ones are as follows:
1) Again, it can't be overstated enough, Riveron and the current leadership group with oversight of NFL officials has proven themselves inept and damaging to the NFL product when given free reign to enforce arbitrary rules on a whim. I'm concerned about this group continuing to degrade our Sunday enjoyment of the games.
2) I'm concerned about the future of the three-point stance and line-play as we know it in the NFL. The crown of the helmet has always been a usable part of the body when engaging in the trenches as long as you keep your head up and a move toward using more hands is a move towards more patty-cake.
3) I'm concerned about the abandonment of the traditional running game in football if a runner cannot lower his shoulder, which in turn lowers his helmet, through contact.
4) I'm concerned that NFL coaches are concerned and confused -- as clearly stated by Riveron in the quote from Note 2 of his webinar above -- and I'm even more concerned that, according to Troy Vincent, that NFL players are only going to be brought up to speed on this new rule only once preseason starts. Players who've spent a lifetime learning how to play one way will have one fall camp to re-learn everything. What could go wrong?
5) I'm concerned for safeties, especially the ones who were drafted to be headhunters (for lack of a better term) and downhill thumping types. Soon enough, they will be dinosaurs much like fullbacks as the league shifts to secondaries boasting 5 cornerbacks of slightly varying sizes and shapes.
6) I'm concerned for NFL evaluators who selected players in this, or in recent drafts, or acquired new players in free agency who are effective in ways that include lowering their shoulders embracing contact. The first example that comes to mind is new Redskins RB Derrius Guice but Raiders fans can't be thrilled about what this means for Beast Mode nor can Vikings fans about its implications for a stud, hard-hitting enforcer at safety like Harrison Smith.
7) I'm concerned that the NFL is so shortsighted and reactive in trying to sneak this new rule through that they didn't realize it will not move the needle with parents of prospective youth players. If you are a parent who doesn't want your kid playing football, this latest stunt Goodell and Riveron have cooked up will not be a new piece of evidence added to Mom and Dad's discussion over the dining room table once little Timmy has gone to bed.
8) I could list concerns all day about this but will end with the Vegas angle: I'm concerned that bad actors will have an easier time influencing game outcomes when a new, completely arbitrary rule, one open-to-imagination and individual perception, can influence plays, series' and even wins or losses. Especially when it is a new rule that hasn't been tested; one that players will only finally be briefed on during training camp; one that Riveron even admits NFL coaches are wondering how the hell they coach around it; and one, most importantly, that will be overseen by what appears to be the least capable head of officials we've ever had to endure.
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
Support the Short by supporting our sponsor - Give Wendy a call today!
It was a last-minute, but game-changing 11th item quietly slipped onto the agenda for the 2018 NFL owners' meetings back in late March: A nebulous new helmet rule that we only learned was voted on (and approved) after the fact.
Like no one would notice.
Unfortunately for the league, the new rule was adopted just one month prior to sports gambling being becoming legalized and we'll get to that in a moment. But as for the rule itself and what it means for football, we can start by recognizing the motives of the league in taking this very aggressive and sudden step:
- Give the impression of care for current players
- Mitigate future financial risks and general CYA RE: future concussion settlements; and
- Make a sweeping change to the game that would trickle down to all levels, including Youth Football, that would fundamentally change how the game is played in hopes of restoring lagging youth participation numbers in the wake of concussion concerns among parents of prospective youth athletes
All the talk coming out of the spring meeting that took place early this week is, of course, the outrage-mob that is harping on any attempt by the NFL to curb anthem protests. It's amazing that there isn't more coverage or concern about a new helmet rule that will change the way the game is played in a few key areas.
Because, the much, much more important news to come out of the spring meetings was that new (and horrible thus far) NFL Head of Officiating Al Riveron finally gave a presentation about the new helmet rule and the circumstances under which players will be penalized, and in some cases ejected.
The new standards, for lack of a better term, are horseshit that may mark the beginning of the end of American Football as we know it. Cockamamie, backwards poppycock taken to the extreme. How can the NFL be so cavalier in implementing a new rule that might change the sport irreparably forever? Especially when you can't exactly put the genie back in the bottle. Now that this is a rule, there is no going back, because "going back" can be framed as an indirect admission by the league and its independent but associated franchises that adherence to the fundamentals of the game and its traditions trumps player safety. It's really an incredible lack of common sense and even the smallest hint of strategic foresight from a multi-billion dollar business entity.
Al Riveron showed the same webinar Tuesday to the assembled media at the meetings that was shown to head coaches, league executives and gameday officials after the new rule was approved. Some notes from the webinar:
1) You can no longer lower your head to initiate contact anywhere on the football field at any position. You may lower your head to defend yourself, but you may not lower it to initiate contact.
2) As for running backs, Riveron says that much of the time a runner will get into a lower position to "defend himself" through the line of scrimmage, which would seem to indicate that between-the-tackles running could be immune to scrutiny under the new rule. Not so fast, Riveron made sure to qualify, "that sometimes the running back is a certain number of yards deep on a sweep, and you have a pulling guard. Now they have choices as to what they're going to do. Space and distance, a lot of times, will determine if they are initiating or not. He's gotta get his head up, he can't come in lowering his head. Can't do it. And a lot of this is going to be coaching. We've had several coaches said, 'well, what can we do?' You can't coach that anymore."
3) Players that do need to lower their centers of gravity to execute the assignments asked of them "have to find an angle" to use their shoulder" instead of any part of the head, helmet, facemask, etc.
4) Lowering the helmet and initiating contact is a foul even if the contact made is not with the other player's own head/neck area. The hit does not have to be to the neck or head area to cause an ejection, either.
5) The call will be made on the field and will be reviewable by Riveron and his crew back in New York. An ejection can be overruled by New York. "If we overrule an ejection," Riveron said, "the 15-yard penalty still stays."
6) The ejections will not carry over to the next game. However, fines and disciplinary actions will be in play following the ejection.
7) Offensive linemen will have to keep their heads up when firing out of their three-point stance and will not be allowed to initiate contact with their helmets.
On Wednesday, NFLPA EVP for Football Operations Troy Vincent joined NBC's "PFT Live" to discuss the new rule. Here are a few takeaways from his interview with Mike Florio:
"We just have to make some adjustments here," Vincent said. "We know it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but you just look at the data ... we have to make sure the use of the helmet is strictly as a protective piece of equipment. That was the root of all conversation ... We just said, we've got to get back to the proper use of the helmet."
On if this will cause us to see extra flags, penalties and game delays as the rules are adjusted to by players and officials:
"Possibly in the preseason where we're properly educating and making sure that both the coaches, players and officials are aligned ... it was a lot of debate about 'are there going to be more flags? Nobody wants more penalties here; are players going to be thrown out?' We saw less than five plays that would result in ejections (from last season during a review of all questionable occurrences). The players will adjust. They will continue to do so. We just want the officials to call what they see. We've been very clear about where we want the helmet to be: There is no permissable use of the helmet ... we feel like we've done a good job of educating both the coaches and the officials, now we're beginning to implement the education to the players."
On if elimination of the three-point stance had been discussed:
"No, I haven't heard that one yet ... It's something that as we look at the future, it's really about hands-first, head aside. In our coaching and owners session back at the beginning of May, we said 'let's get the hands back in the game, let's get the shoulder back in the game.' It may require, with the evolution of the game, will you eventually... will the three-point stance vs. two-point stance be looked at?"
Yikes. And to think we have Al Riveron running the show here. The same Al Riveron who infuriated fans in 2017 with his explanation of the cockamamie catch rule that aided in three fraudulent Patriots wins during the season. The same Al Riveron who even the officials believe sucks at replay reviews. The same Al Riveron who overturned Zach Miller's touchdown on a play so gruesome it looked like he might lose a leg and which prompted ex-head of officials Mike Pereira to say of Riveron that the NFL office is getting "way too technical" in its reviews and overturning of on-field calls. The same Al Riveron who managed to take what seemed like a very good new, simplified catch rule coming into 2018 involving these three simple factors:
1) two feet down or another body part
2) control of the football
3) a football move such as a third step or extending/reaching for line to gain
and then add in this nebulous beauty to screw it all up and to make sure that he still gets to be the Wizard of Oz back in New York who has final say over all things useless ...
"or the ability to perform such an act"
... which no one knows what the hell it means, how it will be applied or how to coach players to do it.
Al Riveron could screw up a wet dream and now he's in charge of a new rule that could change football's future forever.
My main concerns with the new rule are overwhelming, but the most immediate notable ones are as follows:
1) Again, it can't be overstated enough, Riveron and the current leadership group with oversight of NFL officials has proven themselves inept and damaging to the NFL product when given free reign to enforce arbitrary rules on a whim. I'm concerned about this group continuing to degrade our Sunday enjoyment of the games.
2) I'm concerned about the future of the three-point stance and line-play as we know it in the NFL. The crown of the helmet has always been a usable part of the body when engaging in the trenches as long as you keep your head up and a move toward using more hands is a move towards more patty-cake.
3) I'm concerned about the abandonment of the traditional running game in football if a runner cannot lower his shoulder, which in turn lowers his helmet, through contact.
4) I'm concerned that NFL coaches are concerned and confused -- as clearly stated by Riveron in the quote from Note 2 of his webinar above -- and I'm even more concerned that, according to Troy Vincent, that NFL players are only going to be brought up to speed on this new rule only once preseason starts. Players who've spent a lifetime learning how to play one way will have one fall camp to re-learn everything. What could go wrong?
5) I'm concerned for safeties, especially the ones who were drafted to be headhunters (for lack of a better term) and downhill thumping types. Soon enough, they will be dinosaurs much like fullbacks as the league shifts to secondaries boasting 5 cornerbacks of slightly varying sizes and shapes.
6) I'm concerned for NFL evaluators who selected players in this, or in recent drafts, or acquired new players in free agency who are effective in ways that include lowering their shoulders embracing contact. The first example that comes to mind is new Redskins RB Derrius Guice but Raiders fans can't be thrilled about what this means for Beast Mode nor can Vikings fans about its implications for a stud, hard-hitting enforcer at safety like Harrison Smith.
7) I'm concerned that the NFL is so shortsighted and reactive in trying to sneak this new rule through that they didn't realize it will not move the needle with parents of prospective youth players. If you are a parent who doesn't want your kid playing football, this latest stunt Goodell and Riveron have cooked up will not be a new piece of evidence added to Mom and Dad's discussion over the dining room table once little Timmy has gone to bed.
8) I could list concerns all day about this but will end with the Vegas angle: I'm concerned that bad actors will have an easier time influencing game outcomes when a new, completely arbitrary rule, one open-to-imagination and individual perception, can influence plays, series' and even wins or losses. Especially when it is a new rule that hasn't been tested; one that players will only finally be briefed on during training camp; one that Riveron even admits NFL coaches are wondering how the hell they coach around it; and one, most importantly, that will be overseen by what appears to be the least capable head of officials we've ever had to endure.
