NFL Mushroom Helmets?

[Bob Womack]

Oh my gosh.





Why don't we just create a uniform that hermetically seals them as well?

Bob

[Murphy Slaw]

If they used the leather ones from the old days, they wouldn't use their heads as a weapon nearly as much and there would be less injuries.

[Jamolay]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

If they used the leather ones from the old days, they wouldn't use their heads as a weapon nearly as much and there would be less injuries.

But the ones that did happen would be much more horrific and the accumulated smaller ones would also be much worse.

[frankmcr]

Helmets?

[Silurian]

This has become a big issue in Rugby as well. Numerous incidents of early dementia and other neurological disorders diagnosed in players in early retirement.

I don't know if this indicates an increase in such injuries or if they are simply diagnosed more than in the past and there is greater awareness.

However It does seem to be that these injuries are more prelevant since rugby became a 'power' game, where the players are bigger and stronger than in the past. similar to US football, where strength, speed and mass in collisions are posdibly going to cause issues later in life.


The approach seems to be 'tweaking' the rules to reduce such collisions whilst trying to maintain the purity of the sport. It's a difficult tightrope to walk.

[fazool]

It all kinda started when Mark Kelso had repeated concussions - turns out he was very prone to them. This was new back then. His nickname became "Gazoo"

[LAPlayer]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Oh my gosh.
Bob

One would assume you know, but I will state the obvious in case someone doesn't, that is for practice only. That's not a helmet, it's a helmet with a protective cover.

[Gryf]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

One would assume you know, but I will state the obvious in case someone doesn't, that is for practice only. That's not a helmet, it's a helmet with a protective cover.

Yes, but I believe they are now saying that they can be worn during cames in the coming season. Not required to be worn, but may be worn if the player chooses.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

One would assume you know, but I will state the obvious in case someone doesn't, that is for practice only. That's not a helmet, it's a helmet with a protective cover.

Not any longer, the player can choose to wear them in games.

[Jeffreykip]

As fun as it would be to watch someone suffer debilitating head injury, maybe it’s really up to them to chose, not us. I love football, but when the article came out anout Jim McMahon, and then Jr Seau killed himself, it was too hard for me to watch for about a year. I think the NFL is doing a better job of walking an impossible line between recognizing it is an inherently violent sport, and protecting young players who are doubtlessly incentivized to put themselves at risk. Anything that saves a person’s life is a good thing.

[LAPlayer]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Not any longer, the player can choose to wear them in games.

Thanks. I just read that. Maybe a collaboration with auto-racing could keep players extend their playing careers?

[Acousticado]

Surely, airbag technology is being, or has been considered. It would seem that it wouldn’t add much, if any perceived enlargement to the helmet and when activated at a preset impact level, inflation of the bag could cause specially designed fasteners to release to allow expansion of the outer shell itself.

[K20C]

Perhaps line the exterior of the helmets with small defensive explosive charges like they put on tanks.

[12FanMan]

Practice only? Not this year. Players now have permission to wear them if they want to. Helmet condoms.

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

One would assume you know, but I will state the obvious in case someone doesn't, that is for practice only. That's not a helmet, it's a helmet with a protective cover.

[Golffishny]

The helmet is not the problem. The brain still bangs against the skull. Until they can inject foam between the skull and brain the damage will continue.