Quote Originally Posted by Achilles View Post
Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about the argument that the NFL might be better off if they eliminated pads?

The only team sport I've ever played is rugby. I honestly think rugby at times can be more brutal than American football. The thing is, you don't see the same massive, life changing injuries in rugby because like you would never run at someone full speed and just go bone on bone with them. I've read quite a few things, specifically when I was in medic school because there were a few high profile CTE suicides.

It would obviously drastically change the game. Nobody could argue that. I'm just asking if you think American football could survive without pads. I know this will never happen in a million years, the NFL is a cash cow and there's no way they'd ever do this. I just think it's an interesting question. The data is there relative to rugby, hurling, Irish/Australian rules football, etc. Physical sports without pads are objectively safer because people are way more reserved when they throw their body at someone.

It was the same with fighting. I'd take a fucking beating in sparring matches when I had headgear on and foot pads, but I was basically walking on egg shells in actual competitive fights.
I’ve never heard the argument to remove all pads in American football. Not seriously anyway. American football isn’t rugby nor should it try to be. Rugby already exists everywhere. Nobody wants rugby 2.0. There are things they can do and try to make football safer and lower the risk of serious injury without completely changing the game, and that’s happening and will continue to happen, but there are all kinds of extremely dangerous activities and professions that aren’t in the same discussion as American football for some reason. Snowboarders, skiers, motocross, race car driving, cycling, hockey, gymnastics. Most people devoted enough to get to the Olympics have broken more bones and had more concussions than most NFL players. Some of these winter sports athletes get concussed more than boxers.
But these people and sports are praised. And what about occupation? Is pipe fitting dangerous? Power line work? Commercial fishing? Steel working? Police and firefighting? How about joining the military? None of those people get paid millions of dollars a year. Lots of shit is dangerous. Cage fighting is on the rise. It’s everywhere. Boxing is making a huge comeback.
So as long as American football and especially the NFL continues to bring awareness to the obvious dangers and works to improve gear and implement sensible changes and rules to decrease risk of serious injury, people should stop singling it out and demonizing it. I think it’s the greatest team sport ever invented and a dream that young people in pockets all over the country or even the world have and should be able to chase.
To me, these guys that try to climb Everest every year and die and leave their families alone for no reason other than personal...whatever, I don’t know. People praise their bravery and call them heroes. They make movies about them. A lot of these NFL players come from nothing and make money that changes their families forever. Yes it’s dangerous. So what?