Young people and Today's NFL (This is not a Dak Thread)

[erod]

Possibly the strongest human being ever, let alone football player.

Lot of players like that that's you just don't see today.

Reggie White
Emmitt Smith
Barry Sanders
Randy Moss
Ray Lewis
Deion Sanders
Brett Farve
Dan Marino
Adrian Peterson
Warren Moon
John Elway
Eric Dickerson
Ronnie Lott
Troy Palamalu (maybe Downs?)
Junior Seau

There's talent today for sure, but it seems like incomplete talent in most top players. There are a few of course.

 

[erod]

To sum it up, it was a better game when players were players first, not brands, and football was top priority, not a means to a promotion market.

That used to wait until after their pro career was done. Now it begins in college, if not sooner.

The result is lesser players because of less time on the craft, and less hunger to be truly great because rewards come early and plenty.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Lot of players like that that's you just don't see today.

Reggie White
Emmitt Smith
Barry Sanders
Randy Moss
Ray Lewis
Deion Sanders
Brett Farve
Dan Marino
Adrian Peterson
Warren Moon
John Elway
Eric Dickerson
Ronnie Lott
Troy Palamalu (maybe Downs?)
Junior Seau

There's talent today for sure, but it seems like incomplete talent in most top players. There are a few of course.

I think we all might be biased based on the era we grew up watching football in, because I say the 1990s were the best. Most of the names on your list played that decade too.

 

[zerofill]

The one thing that the players from the past had in spades, compared to the players today... heart.
Desire to play and the desire to win, more than anything.

That isn't even worth comparing to today's "I just want to be the highest paid at my position" players.

 

[stiletto]

The modern NFL is nearly flag football compared to 70s/80s/90s. I think it was more demolition-derby back then, everyone played hurt, the rules were nearly non-existent compared to now. Today, everyone is a Ferrari and isn't allowed to be touched. Faster, stronger, more coordinated but I don't think it is really better. Just different, more finesse and a great deal safer for players.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

I also remember when getting to the Pro Bowl mattered. It meant something to players and fans. And they played the game like it mattered.

Whatever they have now is a waste of time. And so many players opt out half the NFL is now "Pro Bowl" players. Such a joke.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Then again, there were no rules protecting QBs in the 90's. Shots to the head were a part of the game. Want to slam the QB into the ground? Go right ahead ! Troy took beatings he would never have had to take if today's rules protecting QBs were in effect back in the 90's. It's highly likely he would have had a much longer career and his stats something akin to Stafford.

Jim McMahon/Charles Martin conference call on line 1, sir....

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Every year, players get bigger, faster and stronger.

KaVontae Turpin on line 2.

A lot of today's players would not be able to play football in past eras as they would not be able for the physical contact.

This goes for all levels of the sport. I remember taking up football as a teenager in the late 80s and you got battered black and blue in practise. Only c.25% of players trying out for the first time would stick with it. Many a good athlete couldnt deal with the contact.

My son is a similar age and started football last year. Training has way way less contact and most new recruits can handle it.

My High School coach said it best in our very first try-outs meeting. I remember it clearly. "Football is NOT a 'full contact sport.' Basketball is a full contact sport. FOOTBALL is a full COLLISION sport."

 

[MajesticRey]

I was talking about the NFL with some young, mainly Cowboys fans, and they really think players today are far superior to those of the 60s, and 70's. Even some had questions about some 80's players like Tony Hill or Dupree. They were very knowledgeable about the players today though and across the league. I know that players today are much faster and athletic but when they say Rice isn't even close to Moss I disagree. I think that it is debatable but to say it isn't close is false. They have Never heard of Tony Hill and Dorsett would be average at best in today's game. This coming from Cowboys fans. I don't think it was because they didn't see the players of yesteryear, I think its because they just haven't done their research and are listening to each other.

I don't hang around young people much but my boys, who are 22 and 29, have buddies around me and I talk with them because most are NFL fans. I know that those like me that started watching Dallas in 76 have a great admiration for players like Pearson, White and Staubach where they really don't. If I had to pick one Dallas QB to build a team around it would be Staubach but it is close.

In the earlier years it could be brutal on the field and QB's weren't protected. Alot of activity after the play and during. It seems to me you HAD to be really tough back then but I'm not discounting todays players like they did the old guys...I don't know how you compare them to be honest....

The peak athlete of today is undeniably more athletic than the peak athlete of the 70s.

Nothing wrong with that, just how it is.

 

[erod]

I think we all might be biased based on the era we grew up watching football in, because I say the 1990s were the best. Most of the names on your list played that decade too.

90s were the best. Plus maybe the early 2000s.

 

[Blast From The Past]

In terms of pure talent. Players today don’t have any advantage IMO.

However, the advantage of modern medicine to help recover from injuries, advancements in training techniques and modern understanding of nutrition and modern supplements. The players today do have a physical advantage.

Of course players in earlier decades had juice and coke to run on. lol so that helped.

Plus camp is not as impactful as in the Junction City Boy days.

 

[DarkVader33]

If today's rules were in place, imagine how many games Troy Aikman would have missed.

For instance he would not have passed concussion protocol in time for Super Bowl XXVIII (the second one against the Bills). Was still having headaches and nausea from the concussion he had in the NFC Championship. Would Bernie Kosar have led the team to a win? Imagine how history would have looked at that.

And those same rules probably would have prevented him from getting the concussion in the first place. He didn’t get it from a TV falling in his head. Lol.

 

[dcstar]

Dunno if this has been mentioned...

Players from days gone by (Pre-1980's anywho...all had day jobs in the off season. Most of them played for the love of the game and the pride to rep your city...plus get spending money to play a game.

I've said this before...Mr Walt Garrison held out because he wanted a high end horse trailer thrown in as a bonus to sign...he got his horse trailer after much huffing and puffing by the front office.

A horse trailer.

Like many said...different eras...different times

Go Cowboys!

 

[Rockport]

To sum it up, it was a better game when players were players first, not brands, and football was top priority, not a means to a promotion market.

That used to wait until after their pro career was done. Now it begins in college, if not sooner.

The result is lesser players because of less time on the craft, and less hunger to be truly great because rewards come early and plenty.

Yet it’s the most popular sport in America and it ain’t even close.

 

[ghst187]

The league is so sloppy and fundamentally flawed today. The players hardly know the rules or the history, and they don't care that much about winning or losing. It's sad to watch at times.

Agree but then again, the rules are stupid in a lot of instances like the catch rule, PI, etc….the QB rules….honestly if it wasn’t so engrained in the culture it’s actually a terrible game to watch between that and the non-flow of play…interruptions, injuries, flags, commercials, bad officiating,….Americans would probably watch soccer instead if they could tell how much time was left lol

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Football >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Soccer

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Really tough to compare generations. It’s a completely different game than it was 40 years ago. The style of play is different, the rules are different. The way guys train is different.

Most players from the past probably would be average in the modern era if that….just go look at your average OL size back in the 80s. It wasn’t uncommon to see a 6’2” 260lbs LG. That guy wouldn’t even get a look today.

And I bet most players today coouldn't play in that old era...or wouldn't want to. North Dallas Forty ain't wrong. It was mostly a brutal time...hard hits, play through injuries...for not a ton of money.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Agree but then again, the rules are stupid in a lot of instances like the catch rule, PI, etc….the QB rules….honestly if it wasn’t so engrained in the culture it’s actually a terrible game to watch between that and the non-flow of play…interruptions, injuries, flags, commercials, bad officiating,….Americans would probably watch soccer instead if they could tell how much time was left lol

Yeah I don’t find the soccer product entertaining at all I just love that environment and crowds. But we all have our preferences.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Really tough to compare generations. It’s a completely different game than it was 40 years ago. The style of play is different, the rules are different. The way guys train is different.

Most players from the past probably would be average in the modern era if that….just go look at your average OL size back in the 80s. It wasn’t uncommon to see a 6’2” 260lbs LG. That guy wouldn’t even get a look today.

I agree. I hate comparing eras. Both are extremely tough. Guards that are 6’2 260….that’s the size of linebackers in today’s game lol.

Whether people like it or not the game today is incredibly smart and advanced. The athletes are getting better and stronger. Joe Namath would struggle with this era….these players today would struggle with the nasty car wrecks of the other eras. Doesn’t make one better.

 

[goshann]

Not really comparable.

Put one of the best teams of the 70's up against the best teams of today and it all depends on which version of the game they're playing.

Take the modern team back in time to play in the 70's circumstances and they get destroyed. Bring the 70's team forward to play under the current circumstances and they get destroyed.

It's also positionally dependent to a degree. No way does Brady have the career he did getting legally mauled like he would have in the 70's-80's. The shifty slot receivers like Edelman aren't going to be the same players when they are getting legally tuned up every time they go across the middle.

Any 70s team playing today’s teams would get absolutely killed