I think it's the fact that ppl. are becoming more aware of the long term effects of concussions as those players from generations ago get older. Since the inception of the modern helmets, that are harder and are used as weapons, more head to head collisions are occuring and thus we are seeing that guys are being effected as they grow older....

redstreak one wrote: What? Yeah, how about the free safety and lb's? These guys get 10+ yard runs and hit people. Offensive and defensive linemen have maybe 3 to 4 feet seperating themselves, I dont care how big you are, I would rather be hit by an O linemen in a 3 point, than a free safety with a 10 yard start!

True, but most if not all OL/DL are having a collision on every single play...not the case for LB/DB.

Strapping Young Lad wrote: The repetitive bashing of heads probably has a cumulative effect on the brain more than it's one catastophic injury such as a concussion.....

Thats the crucial point. For NFL linemen it is the cumulative effect of the hits, not individual instances of contact that have the most damning long term consequences. The average starting offensive linemen in the NFL gets hit on the helmet 1000 times a year. Most of that comes from thrusting at the face mask, head slaps, and some helmet to helmet contact. 1,000 head slaps has a more damaging long term consequences than 4 or 5 hits like this over the course of an entire season.

I'm not saying it'll avoid all concussions but if guys kept their heads up when they're blocking/tackling like you're taught from pee-wees on up this would help to avoid such issues

I'd like to see them get rid of all the pads altogether, but still allow full contact like rugby.

Sure people are probably going to get some broken noses and dislocated shoulders...but if that doesn't stop rugby players, why should it stop football players?

I really don't think going to a 2 point stance will help this at all. Players will still get low and engage just as before. On a 4th and 1 they're still just going to put their heads down and run into each other, even if they don't have a hand on the turf.