NFL owners vote for new rules

[Meathead]

NFL: Thigh, knee pads mandatory

ATLANTA -- The NFL has made thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for the 2013 season, something the players' union could oppose because the move was not collectively bargained.

Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee, says Tuesday at an owners meeting that because this is a playing rule, the league can implement it unilaterally.

The owners also voted to move the trading deadline from after Week 6 to after Week 8, and to allow one "marquee" player placed on injured reserve to return to practice after the sixth game and to the lineup after the eighth game. That player must be on the 53-man roster after the final preseason cut.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7959313/nfl-says-players-wear-thigh-knee-pads-2013

kinda weird they mentioned the most significant rule last. but i wonder what defines the 'marquee' designation

[YardRat]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

The pad rule could have a real affect on receivers and cornerbacks.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

The pad rule could have a real affect on receivers and cornerbacks.

only in that they'll have to wear them...they're going to wear the lightest, smallest possible pads and the effects on their speed/agility will be negligible.

[SquishDaFish]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

I like those rules.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

How many times have you seen a replay where a guy gets kneed in the head and comes up with a concussion? It seems it happens fairly regularly.

[Skooby]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

The 1 guy off IR helps the Bills, you know why.

[Slim]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

I wish they'd expand the practice squad by a few players.

[DynaPaul]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

Now can we get rid of that stupid kickoff rule? I want to see some actual returns.

[TigerJ]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

I think the NFL should consider allowing players placed on IR to return to active duty with the team that placed them on IR without being released. I don't understand why the league thinks is better that they be lost for the season.

[Meathead]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

they instituted the ir rule to prevent teams from stockpiling players for the following season. just imagine a team like the cowboys or the cheaters having thirty guys on 'ir' every season - every time a replaceable player gets a hangnail its 'oop put him on ir'

so i understand the reasoning for the rule, but it does seem to go too far sometimes. i think thats what they are getting at with the 'marquee' designation, that a player who isnt easily replaceable be able to come back at some point if their injury will require them to lose a bunch of games but not the whole season, im just not sure how they do that. maybe you only get so many of those retractable irs per season, or maybe its your highest payed players, idk

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

I thought there was some discussion about potentially changing the IR rule to allow teams to have 2 different options for IR - full season and partial. I think its a great idea as well.

[Mike13]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

The 1 guy off IR helps the Bills, you know why.

It means Ed Wang is always welcome in Buffalo?

[better days]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

they instituted the ir rule to prevent teams from stockpiling players for the following season. just imagine a team like the cowboys or the cheaters having thirty guys on 'ir' every season - every time a replaceable player gets a hangnail its 'oop put him on ir'

so i understand the reasoning for the rule, but it does seem to go too far sometimes. i think thats what they are getting at with the 'marquee' designation, that a player who isnt easily replaceable be able to come back at some point if their injury will require them to lose a bunch of games but not the whole season, im just not sure how they do that. maybe you only get so many of those retractable irs per season, or maybe its your highest payed players, idk

It looks like one player on IR will be allowed to return to play. Teams won't waste that one move on some scrub special teams player. They will save it in case an elite player gets injured.

[SABURZFAN]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

do these rules apply to acehole and his mom when they're getting passed around in the Jets and Giants locker room?

[OpIv37]

Re: NFL owners vote for new rules

How many times have you seen a replay where a guy gets kneed in the head and comes up with a concussion? It seems it happens fairly regularly.

The type of kneepad could make this worse, not better.

If the kneepad is soft foam, no big deal If it's a hard kneepad like skateboarders or motorcycle riders wear, a knee to the head is going to feel like getting smashed with a rock.

I don't think the answer is more pads. I think the answer is LESS pads, or softer pads. The reason is because defenders wear pads too, which means they become physically harder/heavier and more fearless when going for hits.

Something has to give, because at the rate we're going, we're about 5 years away from every player wearing those full body pads that they use for training police dogs and playing in a fully-padded rubber room.