Football is Football!

December 17, 2013
Roger Goodell
National Football Leauge
345 Park Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

 

Dear Roger,

Mr. Goodell, I know you have the best intentions for these folk, but football is football! You’re aware that it is a contact sport, where you need to tackle someone before the play ends? Usually that goes by ‘any mean necessary’ and although it might feel like it at times, football is not a barbarian sport. Right? I mean of course you are going to want to get this guy down any way possible, but there are some rules. Now when you go changing these rules is where problems arise. As D.J. Swearinger claims, “In this league you’ve got to go low. if you go high you’re going to get a fine.” Changing rules that have been around for decades and decades will ‘stir up some problems.’ D.J. has dropped a season ending hit on a man, by going after his knees because as he said, if you go high you get fined. Not saying he should go for the head, just more along the lines of take him down by the hips, or the upper body.

Going low is a solution to the problem of head injures, but it causes more and more problems. If you keep altering the game it will just be something thats completely different from the sport. A solution to head injuries should not have just caused other injuries. You are giving these men no other option but to aim low, and aiming low is not something you want. Personally I’d rather get brought down from a body hit, not some sneaky conniving asshole going after my legs. That just sounds way more painful than it should. Even though I’d be playing football, and I know that I will get hurt, a low blow is just something that will cause damage to your career, I’m not saying concussions won’t just more along the lines of, that is expected in the first place. When you enter the football arena I think that’s something you should know from the get-go. what you provide in this world. Taking that from someone is far worse than being out for a game. You really should change this dumb rule as abruptly as it was put into action.

Sincerely,

Nick

NFL Needs a Wake Up Call About Player Safety

Roger Goodell
Commissioner of The National Football League
The National Football League
280 Park Avenue Suite 12
New York, NY 10017-1216

 

Dear Mr. Goodell,

I write this letter to you to address an important issue that concerns me.  Although the NFL has improved its recognition of concussions and their policy for returning to play, it is still failing to protect the players from serious short-term and long-term injuries.  These injuries are mainly caused by illegal hits to the head and neck.  Not only is the concussion policy not working as intended, there is also no apparent reduction in concussions as a result of rule changes, fines, or improved equipment.

As an athletic training student myself, I am taught the significance and urgency of a concussion, which is classified as a traumatic brain injury.  Just like you would cast or splint a broken bone, you must let an athlete heal after a concussion.  These illegal hits can cause greater damage than just dizziness and a scar on the athlete’s ego.  If a concussion is not recognized immediately and an athlete returns to the game, a serious condition known as second impact syndrome can occur, which occasionally results in death.  Athletes who repeatedly sustain concussions can also suffer long term side effects, such as memory loss, severe mood swings, and chronic headaches.

Watching athletes constantly getting injured from these illegal hits to the head and neck is something that concerns me.  I’m sure the football players understand that they will get injured and tossed around during a typical game, but do they fully comprehend the consequences of constantly abusing their bodies?  They must be properly educated about the repercussions of their illegal hits and what possible injures they can cause.  Fining the athletes more money won’t make them stop and think about the harm they are causing the other athletes.  In order to solve the problem, the athletes must be educated about the damage they can do to other athletes.  I know the sport of football is all about strength and force with little to no time for concerning about the injuries they might inflict.  But with the right mindset, the NFL can change that stigma and protect their athletes who are role models to so many people.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

 

Sincerely,

Sarah

Change NFL Rules

Roger Goodell
Commissioner of the National Football League
The National Football League
280 Park Avenue Suite 12
New York, NY 10017-1216

 

Dear Mr. Commissioner:

 

Hello, my name is Rami. I am a passionate NFL fan. As a collegiate soccer player who has suffered multiple concussions, I would first like to start off by saying I praise you in your effort to improve player safety. However, the way the ‘defenseless receiver’ and ‘helmet-to-helmet’ rules are being enforced by officials is ruining the sport of football. Officials are not trained well enough yet to consistently flag these penalties correctly. These incorrectly called penalties are sometimes even leading to the outcome of games. It frustrates me to players flagged on every other big tackle. It seems like the officials are easily persuaded to throw a flag just because the hit is big, not because it violated a rule. Football players take pride in their toughness. Big tackles are what make football fun to play and watch. Injury is part of sports. I’m not happy about the rules. People aren’t happy. Players aren’t happy. Although your intentions are good, these rules are negatively affecting all aspects of the sport we all love. Please take this letter into consideration and make a change, a change back to the old way. Get rid of the ‘defenseless receiver’ and ‘helmet-to-helmet’ because it’s the right thing to do for the sport of football.

Sincerely,
Rami

The NFL should let players play

Roger Goodell

Commissioner

National Football League

280 Park Avenue, Suite 12

New York, NY 10017-1216

 

Dear Mr. Goodell:

I have been watching football since I was a young kid, about six or seven years old. From the beginning, I enjoyed the intensity and toughness that sets football apart from every other sport. I’m sure you would agree that it is the unlikely combination of grit and finesse required by each NFL player that makes the game so great. Why then, Mr. Goodell, are you trying to rob everyone of said great game? One of the most interesting and prevalent factors in a game is which side will bring more physicality to the table. It all starts with who’s going to fight hardest in the trenches, but that carries over to linebackers, to running backs, and more importantly now than ever, to defensive backs.

A headhunting, reckless safety or cornerback used to strike fear in the hearts of receivers who were so unlucky to be thrown the ball on a slant route over the middle. A lob to the endzone would never result in a touchdown catch because whoever was covering could actually use their hands. With the liberal pass interference calls and the new “defenseless receiver” rule, the aforementioned fear has disappeared, quarterbacks and receivers hook up on bombs that require no skill, and the game has changed for the worse.

I for one, would like to see these rules totally abolished, but I am a man of reason and would be willing to compromise. I understand the concern for players’ safety, and by no means do I wish to jeopardize their well-being for my own entertainment. I do think, however, that a fair compromise could be made. Far too often do they show they replay after an “illegal hit” is made, or pass interference is called, and the referee is blatantly wrong. Now, I don’t expect perfection at the level of speed in which the game takes place, but I do expect a bad call to be reversed when instant, slow-motion replay is so readily available. So, what I propose is for every one of those calls to have to be reviewed, or at least be open to a coach’s challenge. Nothing bums me out more than seeing a third-and-long hail mary end up bringing that team to the goalline on a blown pass interference call. The same goes for a form tackle that gets penalized because the referees are looking at the player’s head motion. I understand and support the NFL’s safety precaution Mr. Goodell, but not when they’re unnecessary and they interfere with the game I love.

 

Sincerely,

Sean

Player safety has gone too far in football

Rodger Goodell

Commissioner of the National Football League

The National Football League

280 Park Avenue Suite 12

New York, NY 10017-1216

Dear Mr. Commissioner:

You in my opinion are ruining the game of football. I’m a diehard sports fan and have played them all my life and there’s nothing that I used to enjoy more than kicking back with a beer and watching football. I say used to because over the past two seasons I have watched you wussify a sport that used to separate the men from the boys. Football players used to take pride in their toughness and now all of the sudden you get a penalty if you hit the quarterback too hard. Now instead of watching the plays and admiring the skill of the athletes I find myself asking what the hell is going on when a linebacker makes a great play and gets a sack for a ten yard loss on third and goal and a flag flies because the hit was “too high”. Your response to this defilement of a great American sport is that you’re invested in player safety, but then you turn around and suggest expanding the season to 18 games. If you truly cared about player safety you would be arguing for fewer games in a season. As for the players, cops get shot at, firefighters run into burning buildings, and football players take big hits it’s an occupational hazard and you making millions of dollars get over it.

Sincerely, Joe

Roger Goodell, ease up on the over-enforcement

Roger Goodell

National Football League

280 Park Ave Suite 12

New York, NY 10017-1216

Dear Roger Goodell:

It has come to my attention recently that you have been a little unfair with your suspensions and fines lately. I’m not talking about the recent suspensions with Saints because I believe you handled that situation pretty well. I’m talking about the everyday fines you give out. For example 75% of the time whenever someone hits Tom Brady a second after the ball is released either a flag is thrown or a fine is given out sometimes both. If you want the league run that way that’s fine but at least make it fair for all quarterbacks. Like Mike Vick, he gets killed almost every play granted he is a runner but there are plays where he sits in the pocket and gets drilled way after the ball is released and nothing is called for anyone to even notice it he had to say something publicly. There are some other players that the NFL does baby but at least make it fair and do it for all players because it is football they know what they are getting themselves into when they signed up. You can also go easy on the rules. You are completely changing the game of football like for the helmet to helmet rule. I feel like you are too strict with this rule, I do understand it is for their safety but again its football. Football is a very violent sport and they know what they are signing up for it’s not a surprise to them. Otherwise I feel like you are doing a good job, the way you handled the lockout went pretty well unlike the NBA’s. You just have to go easier or fairer with the fines and suspensions.

Sincerely,

Brandan