Offseason rule changes: Will Damar's injury result in changes?

[BringBackFergy]

Tragic event. Of the 100's of thousands of plays that occur each season for 50 years, it was bound to happen.  Continuing to keep Damar and his family in my prayers and thoughts as many have done throughout the WORLD.

 

Will the owners come up with new "rules" for tackling an opponent or (in Damar's case") making contact with another player?

 

The chest/abdomen area of the body is the normal tackling area for QB's. Take the Milano hit on Mike White for example.  There are countless other "legal hits" that result in major impact with the chest wall (I remember seeing a pic of Mike White and he looked like a crash test dummy during Milano's hit). 

 

For instance, even though it is rarely called, a FB/RB on goal line plays will often lower their helmet and run full speed into the hole.  A MLB could easily absorb a helmet to the chest (and have done so many, many times). 

 

Will the owners try and create a new "strike zone" (to borrow a baseball term) where officials will have to determine if the hit was too high in the chest, too low or just right?  Will the velocity of an otherwise legal hit be a deciding factor?

 

Stay strong #3!! 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by BringBackFergy

[LabattBlue]

No

[whorlnut]

Honestly, I’m not sure how you can change anything. It was a terrible, unfortunate, freak accident. Hoping Damar is ok…that’s the focus right now. 

[TNBills]

No, its a tragic fluke play that required the hit to take place at the right spot at just the right moment (within milliseconds) per Doctors.

[Don Otreply]

There might be required additional chest plate padding, but that’s likely the extent, but even that is unlikely. 
 

🙏 for DH

[RoyBatty is alive]

No.

 

But it will only  make the medical response better league wide.

[BringBackFergy]

I was trying to link additional YouTube videos.  There are some hits this year that are square to the chest and ferocious.

[Rochesterfan]

1 minute ago, Don Otreply said:

There might be required additional chest plate padding, but that’s likely the extent, but even that is unlikely. 
 

🙏 for DH

 

Agreed - I could see pad makers looking to make changes - especially if they can get the impact data from the sensors on everyone’s pads, but I see no changes to the rules for this.

 

 

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

1 minute ago, BringBackFergy said:

I was trying to link additional YouTube videos.  There are some hits this year that are square to the chest and ferocious.

 

 This is where the NFL & players want you to hit them. NFL doesn't want hits to the head & neck & players don't want the hit to the knees.

 

 

 

[Royale with Cheese]

No.  This was a one in a million thing.  It wasn't a cheap shot or anything.  

[LEBills]

It won’t change the contact rules but I could see the protocols for this type of emergency to be reviewed further to see if response could be improved further. I also think it will be much more clear about what constitutes the postponement and cancellation of a game for player health and safety reasons going forward.

 

With all the confusion about potentially restarting the game from the TV broadcast, I think the NFL will want to clarify and avoid how that looked in the moment.

[muppy]

IMO if anything what last night did show that the medical protocols worked and were validated. I believe  Hamlin received the best treatment he could have hoped for in a timely manner under those circumstances

 

Fergy Great avatar hermano.

 

m

 

[BullBuchanan]

I really hope not. 1 out of 26,000+ is not exactly a statistically significant sample size. They also still haven't said what caused it. Everything to this point is conjecture.

[Big Turk]

There is no rule change that can prevent what happened...it was just a freak occurrence...a hit that occurred in the exact location needed at the right time with enough force to cause that issue...I don't see anything they can do short of potentially requiring some protection for that area in the jersey/padding, etc...

[davefan66]

The only change I see is an AED is brought to the field with every injury. Can pack it in the “go bag” and carry it on.

 

With an injury like he had, every second counts.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

No though I could see one point of emphasis change. When they implemented the concussion changes and leading with the crown of the helmet, that rule also applies to the ball carrier. It's rarely called but you see guys lower their head and initiate contact frequently and I don't recall it ever being called a penalty.  So I could see a scenario where they make it a point of emphasis next season, even though in this case it was shoulder to chest. 

[Mr. WEO]

no chance

[Boatdrinks]

2 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

No

End thread…..

[Offside Number 76]

There's no need for a rule change.  It's a one in a hundred million shot. Unfortunately, that still is a non-zero chance.  It's happened in hockey a couple of times--one guy (Chris Pronger) even went on to have a HoF career.   

 

Hopefully, Hamlin will live a long and full life, maybe even with football as a part of it.  But there's no need to change the rules for what is essentially a freak occurrence.

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

There is no rule change that can prevent what happened...it was just a freak occurrence...a hit that occurred in the exact location needed at the right time with enough force to cause that issue...I don't see anything they can do short of potentially requiring some protection for that area in the jersey/padding, etc...

 

I did read somewhere that some softball pitchers choose to wear extra protection over the heart to prevent this type of thing; I guess that is one possible rule change.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

The league might insist on some pad changes to protect the chest a bit more.     We were actually talking in pregame about how little padding coverage most players have now.    I heard a medical professional say this was like the odds of being struck by lightning.........and yet, when there is lightning sports teams are pulled off the field in sports at all levels...........