Earlier today, on "Mike and Mike in the morning," Jerome Bettis added his name to the growing list of current and former players speaking out against a new rule that will penalize ball carriers for initiating contact with the crown of their helmet.
"It really makes no sense," Bettis said today. "The running back now is going to have some indecision with his helmet and his head. . . . Whenever a running back has indecision, there’s potential for injury."
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many players speak out against the rule on national television. The rule is meant to protect owners' money, not players' safety, which it's argued that the rule actually puts running backs in harm's way.
There are two ways that the new rule will eventually be changed or removed altogether. Either the NFL owners see the rule effect their bottom line in a negative way, or running backs begin getting injured by truckload, a far more likely result.
Unfortunately, the most likely course by which this new rule, a change I didn't even know was necessary, is changed will require players to be injured in the process. I don't know the rationale behind it, and the NFL has been silent on the matter.
