With all the focus on the injuries in football perhaps it's time to expand the roste

[Coach]

With all the focus on the injuries in football perhaps it's time to expand the rosters and change the schedule a bit?


Here is food for though. Let all 53 men dress. The quality of the game will be better. Put in an additional bye week ( More TV revenue for the owners ), and limit the preseason to three games.

Placing an additional bye week will allow players extra time to heal.

Let the blue hats on the field decide to rule on the severity of the concussion, not the team doctors on concussions.


Grade 1 concussion is mild; grade 2 is moderate, and grade 3 is severe.


Grade 1 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness. People who sustain grade 1 concussions may be confused or dazed for a short time (less than 15 minutes) after the injury, but recover completely within 20 minutes.

Grade 2 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness, but symptoms (e.g., confusion) last longer than 20 minutes. People who sustain grade 2 concussions may not remember the injury (called post-traumatic amnesia).

Grade 3 concussion is the most severe type. A person who sustains a grade 3 concussion loses consciousness (usually for a brief period of time) and often does not remember what occurred just before or just after the injury.


In the future, I could see concussions, grade 1-3 as diagnosed by the blue hat independent doctors.


Grade 1 ruling - One week out. However if the player has had four or more documented concussions, it's a two-week break.

Grade 2 ruling - One week out, clearance needed to return to the field next week.

Grade 3 ruling - 2 weeks out, clearance needed to return from the field.

 

[SteelerFan448]

I could see expanded rosters, a shortened preseason and a regular season extended to 17 games with neutral site and international games all over the place. The grading system on concussions seems to go against everything that has come out about them.

 

[madinsomniac]

Ive been down this road for decades now... 65 man rosters with 55 men dressing is long past due... it cuts down the urge for a player to play through a severe injury rather than leave his team short and lets teams have legit backups at evvery position thus meaning players arent sigen off the street to actually play as often, which means less boneheaded breakdowns that lead to other injuries too...

 

[Drink IRON City]

Definately increase game day roster size. Increase practice squad size. A little more relaxed rules on practice squad promotion to game roster and vise versa. Pre-season games are much needed but I'm for eliminating a preseason and adding a regular season with two Bye Weeks. NOTE: The bye week(s) are everyone in 1st half season on a rotating schedule, then second half season mirrors 1st half. Not a luck of the draw type schedule.



Salute the nation

 

[xjx]

Only 2 preseasoin games. Real games start 2nd week in August. All teams have labor day weekend off (bye). College football starts. All teams return to regular schedule with another bye week built in somewhere.

So, all teams play 18 games and all teams get 2 bye weeks.

 

[POP]

The increase in roster size will cost the owners money? Peanuts to them you say? Well, a lot of them throw dimes around like manhole covers.

Don't believe me? Mike Brown used to have communal jock straps that everyone used (they washed them first, at least).

Adding players to the roster will be $ right out of their wallets.

 

[SteelerSask2]

The problem with grade one concussions is that someone with one should be away from all contact for 2 weeks minimum. Or they are much much more susceptible to another.

 

[Coach]

The increase in roster size will cost the owners money? Peanuts to them you say? Well, a lot of them throw dimes around like manhole covers.

Don't believe me? Mike Brown used to have communal jock straps that everyone used (they washed them first, at least).

Adding players to the roster will be $ right out of their wallets.

Let's suppose the NFL allowed 63 players on the roster. Most of the guys from 53-63 are likely out of the league in less than three years.

A 2nd year player has an NFL minimum of $600,000. So adding ten more players would only cost the owners $6,000,000. Harldy much if you added another bye week and another week of television.

I think a 60 man roster would be enough. Let them all dress and play. And please move kickoffs back 5 yards!

 

[Coach]

The problem with grade one concussions is that someone with one should be away from all contact for 2 weeks minimum. Or they are much much more susceptible to another.

I'd be okay with just one week for most players, and put an *Asterisk in that says if the player has had say four concussions or more, it becomes a 2-week break.

 

[Litos]

yeap Coach I agree, expand the roster, give another Bye, cut down pre-season games, not so sure about the concussion system, once the player gets dinged it's better to sit him out and evaluate through the week

 

[Coach]

yeap Coach I agree, expand the roster, give another Bye, cut down pre-season games, not so sure about the concussion system, once the player gets dinged it's better to sit him out and evaluate through the week

I think the NFL needs rules for concussions and they need to be diagnosed by 3rd party doctors ( the blue hats on the sideline ).

I'm not saying the rules I suggested are perfect, but they are MUCH better than what we have now. A guideline is needed.

Expanding the roster will enhance the game, and adding in another bye week of football will increase revenue.

Now all the NFL needs to do is come up with a better helmet to reduce concussions.

This could be it. See below:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/zero-1-football-helmet-helps-prevent-concussions/

 

[Hines57]

When the CBA is renegotiated this could be a topic of discussion. More players will probably equal less overall dollars for each player though. The league also wants to expand the schedule and the playoffs. I think you keep it as it is and be very strict on the concussion protocol's in place.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I agree, especially if they expand the number of games.

 

[Hines57]

I agree, especially if they expand the number of games.

I think the players will fight hard not to allow additional regular season games. The proposal to drop 2 pre-season games and add them onto the regular season only means more wear and tear. I do think the owners will push hard to expand the playoffs as that will bring them a lot more $$$ in tv dollars. That's where I think if there is going to be change we will see it.

Ultimately if they're truly going to be concerned for the players health they need to allow emergency backups (not in the 45 dressed) to dress and if a player gets put into the concussion protocol during a game then the emergency player is eligible to play. That makes sense and is a simple fix.

 

[Stryker]

In the future, I could see concussions, grade 1-3 as diagnosed by the blue hat independent doctors.


Grade 1 - One week out. However if the player has had four or more documented concussions, it's a two-week break.

Grade 2 - One week out, clearance needed to return to the field next week.

Grade 3 - 2 weeks out, clearance needed to return from the field.

I have a degree in biopsychology and I also worked as an athletic trainer. Your grade one option is completely off. This is a daze, and shouldn't even be called a concussion. It's head trauma, but there is no impairment or even any diminished reflexes (either ocular or actual). There is Zero reason to hold this player out for a week, let alone longer than a quarter.

2 to 3 depends on the severity of the impact, where it is on the body, and if the player has had a history of similar trauma. Brown last year was a 3, and he probably wouldn't have been ready to play in the Superbowl if we made it.

Mandatory baseline testing needs done on every player so when concussions occur, there is an accurate measurable test to see when the athlete is back to normalcy. This is the only way to properly handle concussions.

 

[Coach]

I have a degree in biopsychology and I also worked as an athletic trainer. Your grade one option is completely off. This is a daze, and shouldn't even be called a concussion. It's head trauma, but there is no impairment or even any diminished reflexes (either ocular or actual). There is Zero reason to hold this player out for a week, let alone longer than a quarter.

2 to 3 depends on the severity of the impact, where it is on the body, and if the player has had a history of similar trauma. Brown last year was a 3, and he probably wouldn't have been ready to play in the Superbowl if we made it.

Mandatory baseline testing needs done on every player so when concussions occur, there is an accurate measurable test to see when the athlete is back to normalcy. This is the only way to properly handle concussions.

Those are my recomendiations. They really should not say grades in hindsight.


Are these accurate?

Grade 1 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness. People who sustain grade 1 concussions may be confused or dazed for a short time (less than 15 minutes) after the injury, but recover completely within 20 minutes.

Grade 2 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness, but symptoms (e.g., confusion) last longer than 20 minutes. People who sustain grade 2 concussions may not remember the injury (called post-traumatic amnesia).

Grade 3 concussion is the most severe type. A person who sustains a grade 3 concussion loses consciousness (usually for a brief period of time) and often does not remember what occurred just before or just after the injury.

 

[steelerscotty]

Cut preseason to 3 games. HOF game counts as 1 of the 3.

Leave 16 game season as is. Adding more regular season games is counter to the new "safety" culture in the NFL. Besides, losing 1 preseason game and gaining 1 or 2 regular season games isn't as big of a financial windfall as some believe. They are making money hand over first already. Sure some of the teams would make extra gate, but the crappy teams, not so much. TV revenue and the like is where the profits are really being made. Expanding the playoffs would be much better way to raise revenue both at the gate and on TV.

53 man rosters, all can dress. Maybe expend the practice squad some more and let teams move a limited number of players back and forth without having to waive them. This would keep in check the "stashing" of players on IR etc that lead to the way the roster rules are set these days.

 

[Stryker]

Those are my recomendiations. They really should not say grades in hindsight.


Are these accurate?

Grade 1 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness. People who sustain grade 1 concussions may be confused or dazed for a short time (less than 15 minutes) after the injury, but recover completely within 20 minutes.

Grade 2 concussion does not result in a loss of consciousness, but symptoms (e.g., confusion) last longer than 20 minutes. People who sustain grade 2 concussions may not remember the injury (called post-traumatic amnesia).

Grade 3 concussion is the most severe type. A person who sustains a grade 3 concussion loses consciousness (usually for a brief period of time) and often does not remember what occurred just before or just after the injury.

The grades are fairly accurate. #2 is where most concussions that you hear of fall. When Clark or Polamalu were leaving the field for a couple plays or a quarter, those were grade 1 or 2. 2 is the most common and the most tested, and the easiest to quantify and come back from with minimal risk.

Grade 3 is the clusterfluck. This is severe bruising on the brain, and brain bruises, much like bad bruises to your skin, don't heal for 3-5 weeks. Since you can't see the bruise in the brain the same way you can see a bruise on your skin, it's tough to tell where you fall. The baseline testing system is the best way to monitor and determine cognitive functionality and motor loss, but it's still not 100% accurate in determining that the brain is healed before returning to play. It's a tough issue, but right now, baseline testing is the best test we have to keep players as safe as possible.