I'm noticing more and more that football players at the college level and more so the pro level aren't wearing the standard equipment, or they are wearing it improperly. I'm watching the Steelers Bills game right now, and a lot of players wear 0 leg pads. Fitzpatrick is wearing his wedding ring, and I noticed the Bills' punter has his chin strap on his neck.

I'm guessing there isn't a rule at the pro and college level saying that these things don't need to be worn, or they are just a lot different from the bulky things we see kids wear in high school.

I don't like the idea of them not wearing pads, because that's what they did in the early 1900's. There was a reasons they went away from leather helmets and no pads. Are we headed back to those days? Everything does go in cycles....

What does everyone else think?

yeah I noticed the wedding band on Fitzpatrick on found it extremely odd

I think the smaller shoulder pads and larger helmets contribute to how defensive players hit int the open field.

Yeah I've noticed in other games that a lot of WRs don't wear knee pads at all

Firad;579286 wrote:Yeah I've noticed in other games that a lot of WRs don't wear knee pads at all

I've noticed a lot more than WRs not wearing knee pads.

I saw riley cooper wearing a gold necklace today

It kills me how kickers NEVER wear knee pads. Also, I almost died when the Bills' kicker threw on some sweat pants during OT, Just made me LOL.

bigkahuna;579562 wrote:It kills me how kickers NEVER wear knee pads. Also, I almost died when the Bills' kicker threw on some sweat pants during OT, Just made me LOL.

I lol'd as well. I'd have lol'd more if he forgot he had them on and then trotted onto the field still wearing them.

bigkahuna;579271 wrote:I'm guessing there isn't a rule at the pro and college level saying that these things don't need to be worn...

What does everyone else think?

Good guess. High school is strict on both required equipment and the enforcement of that equipment. It is basically on the philosophy that they are still minors and not adults.

College has rules for the equipment, but as long as their is a "pad" in the area doesn't really matter how small or thin it is. I know I got questioned in high school and College if I had my girdle pads in I had to point them out to the official cause you couldn't see them through the pants.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/30044/fitzpatrick-has-no-hangup-with-his-ring

I think the only players that wear pads in their pants are running backs and quarter backs. I have seen OL not wear them Ray Lewis doesn't wear pads and WR and CB don't wear them because it slows them down. College you have to wear pads in your pants.