Quote:
Originally Posted by Postman
No, while the HANS restraint system that NASCAR uses has proven effective in preventing Basilar skull fractures and thus saving the lives of its drivers, that's not the problem the NFL is confronting. As hard as the hits are in the NFL, they're not sufficient to cause that kind of a skull fracture.
Some players wear a plate attached to the collar of their shoulder pads that extends up behind the back of the helmet (but not attached to the helmet itself) that prevents the head from snapping back in the event of a hit to the front of the helmet, but that's because those players are routinely using their helmet to make hits themselves and have suffered neck injuries in the past because of it. I've only seen linebackers using them. Linemen could benefit similarly, but they need to look up when they're in a three point stance and the device hinders that. For other players, they're just too bulky.
But this and similar systems cannot stop the brain from smashing into the brain case if the skull has sufficient force applied to it. The brain isn't attached to the skull. It just floats around inside it.
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I think the goal was that the helmet is there less as a helmet and more of a piece mass meant to redistribute the force from ever hitting the skull.
I think the mentality we may need to take is change the way we see our football players. Instead of seeing the classic helmet with mask, we move to a more space style design with the helmet and shoulder pads as a single piece so when players hit each other the force is not placed directly onto the head but instead on the shoulders and body.
Details would obviously need to be worked out in regards to weight, comfort, sight, etc. I think though that this theory is the only way to keep the game going with more and more information coming out regarding the dangers. In the end it's going to end up being a financial decision as former players start looking for payment.
How long before the league has to start paying for not protecting their players?