Hard Hits In The NFL Are Part Of The Game

I understand that the NFL is trying to protect people from serious injuries, and helmet-to-helmet hits inevitably can and will bring on serious injuries and end some careers. I also understand that the NFL needs to set an example at some point, to show that they are serious about protecting the health of NFL players. With that being said though, I think the higher ups in the NFL overstepped their bounds when they recently handed out some lofty fines, and in one case in particular, handed one out to a player who was undeserving of it.

Three fines were handed out earlier this week by the NFL for helmet- to- helmet hits in games, But I truly believe that only one of them was deserving of the fine, and I also think the highest one that was handed out, was dealt out because of what one of the players said, and not what he did. The three fines that were handed out for helmet- to- helmet hits are as follows. New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather for $50,000, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison for $75,000 and Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson for $50,000 respectively.

The only legitimate fine handed out by the NFL for all three hits though, was the fine that was handed down to Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather. The highest of all three fines handed out, was to Steelers linebacker James Harrison, but both of his hits were actually clean. Harrison was responsible for knocking out two separate Cleveland Brown players in one game, but they were both just clean, hard, textbook hits. What Harrison had to say after the game though, didn’t help his cause at all. A reporter was asking him about his devastating hits after the game, to which he replied, “I try to hurt people.”

He was trying to make a comparison between hurting and actually injuring a player, and it ended up coming out all wrong.

According to James Harrison, injuring a person takes them out of a game for a prolonged period and possibly ends their career, but hurting them just means that they are hurt temporarily, and will be able to shake it off and play again. While I don’t necessarily agree with Harrison’s definitions of hurt and injured, and think he probably would’ve been better saying nothing at all, the NFL should’ve also been honest about why they fined him. They fined him for running his mouth and not for the hits.

When I think about the things I remember from NFL seasons past, one of the very first things that comes to mind are memorable hits made by a linebacker or safety. I also remember great runs, beautiful long touchdown passes, Super Bowl wins and other things, but I distinctively also remember hard hits and the players who dealt them out. I remember hits by players such as Ronnie Lott, Junior Seau, Mike Singletary, Daryll Talley, Bill Romanowski, Lawrence Taylor, etc. Hard hits are part of the game, always have been and always will be.

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It seems that if the NFL keeps heading in the direction it is, they will have to change their name to the Flag Football Association. Or maybe they could just have the teams come out and line up against each other, and have pillow fights to decide the outcome of the game.

Some people watch NASCAR for the wrecks, some watch NHL hockey for the fights, and many people watch the NFL for the big hits. Also, what about all of the head to head contact on the line of scrimmage that goes on throughout the game? I think the NFL needs to realize that people don’t go to the game so they can watch referees. I also think they need to come out and admit that they fined James Harrison for running his mouth, and not for the legal hits that he put on two Cleveland Brown players.

The NFL loves showing the public how much they care when it comes to things like breast cancer, honoring Vets, etc, so now it has a chance to show us all how much it cares about telling the truth. They just need to admit that they don’t want their players stating publicly, that they are attempting to hurt others. That’s what the fine was really about period. If they think they’ve fooled others into thinking otherwise, they are just fooling themselves.

The suit wearing higher ups in the NFL, who sit in ivory towers watching the game, could do themselves a big favor if they just came out and admitted that.

Football is a violent sport played by violent men, and it’s also a sport where many players rely on intimidation of their opponents, even if that comes through talking some trash, and stating something like I try to hurt people.

I know, how about if the NFL just gets all players from every team to wear inflatable Sumo Wrestling suits? Problem solved.

By Pete Monstwillo
Pro Football Fans Staff Writer