Sheamus Dalton
In recent years, the NFL has lowered their tolerance to aggressive tackles. They have put forth new regulations to define how defensive players should tackle in an attempt to eradicate dangerous hits. This has all been done to lower the rates of career-threatening injuries, specifically head traumas, which seem to have become increasingly common during games.
Although the NFL has done this with the safety of all its players in mind, some have resisted these changes. Naturally aggressive players argue that violent hits are a fundamental element to football and that, by enforcing stricter regulations, the NFL is damaging the game.
No other player has a stronger voice in this argument than Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather. Meriweather has become known for his dirty helmet-to-helmet tackles. These tackles have led to not only his opponents but Meriweather himself being knocked out cold on the field. During the current season, Meriweather has been fined $42,000 for a violent hit against a Green Bay running back in week two, as well as serving a one game suspension. Up until recently, he was seemingly undeterred by the these fines and suspensions.
However, the attacks made against Meriweather’s style of play have gained new traction in the past weeks. Not only has the NFL criticized him, but many players have condemned him as well. A criticism made by Bears wideout Brandon Marshall led to a rather colorful response by Meriweather where he asked of the league, “You tell me who you’d rather have? Someone who plays aggressive on the field or someone who beat up their girlfriend?”
This is a bold statement from Meriweather, one that I find to be very inappropriate. However, I am sympathetic to his argument. Without looking too deeply into his character, he seems merely to be an extraordinarily passionate player playing the game as hard as he can. As he has argued in the recent hearing that handed out his suspension from last week’s game, he had no intention for the hit to be malicious, and I believe him.
However, the central concern in the matter is the safety of the players. I sympathize with Meriweather, but I side even more strongly with the increased regulations of the NFL. It seems that in every NFL game I watch, at least one player leaves the game with a concussion caused by a particularly brutal tackle. While these tackles, as Meriweather argues, are not intentional, the alarming rate at which they cause injuries stands as a clear indication that they must be taken out of the game. The NFL is morally obligated to alter the game if it becomes dangerous for the players, which I think has become the reality of the current game.
For these reasons, it is imperative for the NFL to stand by their new regulations. Even if there is significant protest from players like Meriweather, it would be unethical if dangerous play were not controlled. Players are growing stronger and faster with the capability to cause gruesome injuries. It is worth it to prevent these injuries even if the game won’t remain the same. Changing some aspects of the game is a small price to pay for the safety of the players.