My 18 Game Season Plan Focused on Player Safety

[ArtClink]

With the inevitable 18 game season coming sooner than later, I have some great ideas to allow an 18 game season while actually prioritizing player safety, something the NFL owners don’t care about.

1. Players are only eligible to play in 16 of the 18 games. This allows rosters to expand and build a mini farm club for each organization. This promotes player development while limiting players to 16 games.
2. Eliminate two feet in bounds for a catch. It is proven that only requiring one foot in bounds greatly reduces injuries.
3. Have no preseason games. Let’s face it, a lot of NFL teams take several or more games to start playing well and Dallas is one of them but the preseason accomplishes nothing.
4. Eliminate Thursday games. This was the most glaring move by the owners that they don’t care one bit about player safety.

Multiple teams just played three games in eleven days which is an absurd thing to put on players, esp late in the season!

I’m well aware that the 32 owners want to squeeze every penny they can out of the schedule while maximizing profits and only a fool thinks this will change. My recommendations would make player safety a top priority while allowing an 18 game season. The owners are so out of touch w reality that they have forgotten the NFL was built on the backs of generations of great players who in some cases jeopardized their health and lives during their career.

Ultimately, players keep getting bigger, stronger, and faster. Having a defensive lineman and linebackers who can run a 4.6 40 creates collisions that will continue to ratchet up injuries. The way things are going, we may well see playoffs in the coming years where half of the stars are out with injuries and that is the breaking point where the owners better start sniffing the smelling salts of reality. But we all know the owners will never do what’s best for the players who continue to grow the league.

Will we start to see players die on the field? I know it’s happened before but I sincerely hope not. But the owners actions and human evolution sure indicate we may see that dreaded scenario unless the owners wake up. They won’t but they could take action in the offseason to prioritize player safety. After all, the NFL IS the players not the owners, right?

 

[Bobhaze]

This is a great plan Art. The 16 game limit would be not only healthier for players but would also be a development tool as well.

Nice work.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Unfortunately, it probably would take a player dying for the NFL to make serious changes that actually prioritize player safety over profit.

Thursday Night Football is terrible but they will never give up the extra night of primetime. I just wish they would make it Friday Night Football instead to give players an extra day. The NFL has proven that it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, they will get great ratings. Fridays would allow for a better fan experience for attending games too.

 

[ArtClink]

Unfortunately, it probably would take a player dying for the NFL to make serious changes that actually prioritize player safety over profit.

Thursday Night Football is terrible but they will never give up the extra night of primetime. I just wish they would make it Friday Night Football instead to give players an extra day. The NFL has proven that it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, they will get great ratings. Fridays would allow for a better fan experience for attending games too.

Great idea if they insist on continuing the extra game of the week.

 

[ArtClink]

This is a great plan Art. The 16 game limit would be not only healthier for players but would also be a development tool as well.

Nice work.

Thank you. I wish the owners cared about their players.

 

[Flamma]

Thank you. I wish the owners cared about their players.

Not even a little bit. Not one iota. They'd have a 30 game season if they could get away with it. Agreed on every point. I'm just not sure how much impact it would have. I'd add making all fields natural grass. I don't know how good or bad the new turf is. I've been on the old turf, and it was terrible compared to grass. I wonder what the players think of the new stuff.

 

[Flamma]

Unfortunately, it probably would take a player dying for the NFL to make serious changes that actually prioritize player safety over profit.

Thursday Night Football is terrible but they will never give up the extra night of primetime. I just wish they would make it Friday Night Football instead to give players an extra day. The NFL has proven that it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, they will get great ratings. Fridays would allow for a better fan experience for attending games too.

I think everyone at some point in time wondered why not Friday night. This is what I was told. Friday night is big for high school football.

 

[ArtClink]

Not even a little bit. Not one iota. They'd have a 30 game season if they could get away with it. Agreed on every point. I'm just not sure how much impact it would have. I'd add making all fields natural grass. I don't know how good or bad the new turf is. I've been on the old turf, and it was terrible compared to grass. I wonder what the players think of the new stuff.

One thing I love about the AFC north is they all have outdoor grass fields. I wish more teams would follow this old school model. After Dallas, the Vikings are one of my favorite teams since I was a kid and I loved watching them play in snow and freezing weather. That’s old school football but outdoor stadiums seem to be slowly disappearing from the NFL. How long before we have all domed stadiums?

 

[Flamma]

One thing I love about the AFC north is they all have outdoor grass fields. I wish more teams would follow this old school model. After Dallas, the Vikings are one of my favorite teams since I was a kid and I loved watching them play in snow and freezing weather. That’s old school football but outdoor stadiums seem to be slowly disappearing from the NFL. How long before we have all domed stadiums?

I used to love watching those games between the Vikings and Rams back then.

I think it would be bad for the sport if every game is under a dome. That's good for baseball if it's too cold or raining. The roof should be open for football. At least while they're playing.

 

[ArtClink]

I used to love watching those games between the Vikings and Rams back then.

I think it would be bad for the sport if every game is under a dome. That's good for baseball if it's too cold or raining. The roof should be open for football. At least while they're playing.

Agreed.

 

[IMGumby]

18 game season with two byes and start Labor day weekend.

 

[McCarthyMustGo]

With the inevitable 18 game season coming sooner than later, I have some great ideas to allow an 18 game season while actually prioritizing player safety, something the NFL owners don’t care about.

1. Players are only eligible to play in 16 of the 18 games. This allows rosters to expand and build a mini farm club for each organization. This promotes player development while limiting players to 16 games.
2. Eliminate two feet in bounds for a catch. It is proven that only requiring one foot in bounds greatly reduces injuries.
3. Have no preseason games. Let’s face it, a lot of NFL teams take several or more games to start playing well and Dallas is one of them but the preseason accomplishes nothing.
4. Eliminate Thursday games. This was the most glaring move by the owners that they don’t care one bit about player safety.

Multiple teams just played three games in eleven days which is an absurd thing to put on players, esp late in the season!

I’m well aware that the 32 owners want to squeeze every penny they can out of the schedule while maximizing profits and only a fool thinks this will change. My recommendations would make player safety a top priority while allowing an 18 game season. The owners are so out of touch w reality that they have forgotten the NFL was built on the backs of generations of great players who in some cases jeopardized their health and lives during their career.

Ultimately, players keep getting bigger, stronger, and faster. Having a defensive lineman and linebackers who can run a 4.6 40 creates collisions that will continue to ratchet up injuries. The way things are going, we may well see playoffs in the coming years where half of the stars are out with injuries and that is the breaking point where the owners better start sniffing the smelling salts of reality. But we all know the owners will never do what’s best for the players who continue to grow the league.

Will we start to see players die on the field? I know it’s happened before but I sincerely hope not. But the owners actions and human evolution sure indicate we may see that dreaded scenario unless the owners wake up. They won’t but they could take action in the offseason to prioritize player safety. After all, the NFL IS the players not the owners, right?

Don't like the 1 foot in change. Too much offense already. Need to find ways to help the defense. I'd like to see a 12th defender on the field to be utilized in any way a team sees fit.

 

[ArtClink]

Don't like the 1 foot in change. Too much offense already. Need to find ways to help the defense. I'd like to see a 12th defender on the field to be utilized in any way a team sees fit.

My youngest son doesn’t like that idea either lol.