As we reported earlier, in the midst of all these wonderful free agent signings, the NFL has calmly and slickly try to add a new rule into legislation.
With a rule that already has many up in arms, the NFL is proposing a rule change that would penalize a ball carrier for lowering their heads before contact with a defender.
One former NFL player who carries a lot of weight is not pleased with the new rule proposal. Emmitt Smith is the all time leading rusher in the history of the NFL.
Smith may not have run a lot defenders over, but he ran hard, and he ran behind his pads. Smith told 105.3 The Fan that “rule is ridiculous, and the NFL has lost its mind.”
“If I’m a running back and I’m running into a linebacker, you’re telling me I have to keep my head up so he can take my chin off?’’ Smith said Thursday in an exclusive interview with Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “You’ve absolutely lost your mind.’’
“As a running back, it’s almost impossible (to not lower your head),’’ said the Dallas Cowboys legend. “The first thing you do is get behind your shoulder pads. That means you’re leaning forward and the first part of contact that’s going to take place is your head, regardless.
“I disagree with the rule altogether. It doesn’t make any sense for that position. It sounds like it’s been made up by people who have never played the game of football.’
“That’s part of the game,’’ Smith said of “the violent part of the game … I don’t know how you’re going to be able to enforce that rule without really jeopardizing the integrity of the game itself. ‘’
I understand the NFL wants to protect defenders now, but no defender is going to come in full speed to make a tackle, standing straight up.
The NFL needs to focus on teaching tacklers and ball carriers to lower their shoulders, get behind their pads, but keep their heads up.
We’ve all been taught as football players to see what you hit, and it gets no simpler than that. You can lower your head, lower your shoulders, get behind your pads and see your target.