Getty 2019 was the NFL's 100 year anniversary
If you’ve been a fan of the NFL for a prolonged period of time, it’s evident to see the changes in the game from now compared to just a few years ago. Very rarely do you see those headhunting, jump out of your seat hits. Blindside and crackback hits have been deemed unnecessary and tossed out of the league, while Quarterbacks are protected like a firstborn son.
The NFL is changing, and perceived rule and equipment alterations have been implemented to make the game safer for the players of today and tomorrow. However, despite the steps the league has taken, it hasn’t coincided with less risk or less injuries according to the 2019 concussion numbers the league has recently released.
NFL Concussions Were Up in 2019
One season ago, in 2018, the NFL saw a major decrease in player concussions, 67 fewer than the season prior to be exact. That 24% drop was a major win for a league who has tried to portray themselves as less violent and more welcoming to an enticing and healthy life for players while in the league, and well beyond it.
The league pointed heavily to their push of players using more advanced helmets, along with their rule changes as a reasoning behind those decreased concussion numbers, stating that 33% more players used updated helmets in 2018 from 2017.
In 2019, as was evident by Antonio Brown‘s helmet grievance, the number of older helmets being disbanded grew, meaning players who were previously grandfathered in and allowed to use older helmets were no longer permitted. However, despite more players than ever wearing these new, advanced-technology helmets, the diagnosed concussion numbers for NFL saw an increase this season.
The increase was minimal, but an increase at that. The NFL says that there were 224 diagnosed concussions in 2019, which is 10 more than reported in 2018. Still, these numbers are an improvement from just a few seasons ago, when in 2017 the league had an astonishing 281 reported concussions.
You can check out the concussions of the last five seasons below via NFL Update.
It’s also important to note that these numbers are based on diagnosed concussions. Former NFL players have talked openly about the number of undiagnosed concussions they’ve likely had during there playing careers. However, with the NFL’s improved safety initiative, those numbers are likely to have also decreased.
New Rules & Technology Can Only Do So Much
While the fact that concussions as a whole have been reduced over the past two seasons is certainly a plus, let’s not forget what football is. The NFL consists of mammoth-sized men, in elite level shape, running head-on with one another at unthinkable speeds. Football as a whole is a violent sport, and while rule changes and improved technology may make slight differences over time, in the absence of major technological advances, the concussion will remain a major issue in the sport throughout its existence.
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