The NFL is looking at the way the game is played today in regards to so called big hits. This previous weekend with an abundance of big hits and a Rutgers college football player becoming paralyzed the NFL is looking at ways to enforce helmet to helmet and big hit penalties. With these penalties being able to result in suspension many players are concerned in the fact the league is not defining what exactly a big hit consist of. No player intentionally wishes to permanently harm another but the game itself is an aggressive sport where injuries do occur. Cardinals S Adrian Wilson
"It's really hard because you only have that split-second to determine what to do. It's crazy. I try my best to use clear judgment and make clear decisions, but a lot of those collisions are unavoidable. You're either going to let them catch it and take a step to see what's going on, or there's going to be a collision."
What you are going to start to see now is a watered down version of the games former past glory. When players fear punishment for hitting a receiver as he’s catching the ball there will be a lot more broken tackles and forward movement where before there was not. Giants S Antrel Rolle
"So are you telling me that now I have to slow down? I think we're already being cautious of what we're doing and how we're attacking the ball or how we're trying to make a tackle. I think that's absolutely ridiculous because under any circumstances you can't just absolutely have control over your body when you're pursuing a tackle."
The bottom line is being a football player is not a requirement it is a privilege. No one makes these athletes play the game they chose to. Although no one wants to see an athlete injured it does happen. They know the risk involved before ever stepping out onto the field and yet they chose to anyways.