The new ‘helmet rule’ in the NFL is taking shape, and it’s important to note, because it will have fans yelling at their TV a lot during the season.
In the Hall of Fame Game, the new NFL helmet rule reared its head, and it got fans fuming on social media. It’s a very simple, and, in fact, necessary rule.
It protects the person tackling from concussions, and while it will frustrate fans to no end, just like many penalties, it’s a necessary “evil.”
The rule does exclude incidental contact. However, players are not allowed to lead with their helmets in order to initiate contact. As NFL official Jerome Boger told NJ Advanced Media:
"“If you see what you tackle, it kind of eliminates the problem. When we, as officials, see that head go down, our antennae are going to go up: Let’s see where we are going with this. It’s an adjustment. These guys are professional athletes: If they tell them beforehand, they can do it.”"
He also told them a moving target doesn’t mean a players is absolved from not leading with the helmet.
"“If the helmet initiated contact, even if you want to say the target moved, that doesn’t relinquish him from using the helmet into the body.”"
It’s very simple, if a player lowers his head and the helmet is the first thing that makes contact with an opponent during a tackle, there’s going to be a flag. There’s going to be growing pains, because it’ll be tough for players to break habits. So, we might see a lot of flags on this in 2018.
Intentionally leading with the helmet also increase the foul to a possible ejection. Replay will be used similarly to the college rule to decipher whether or not an ejection is warranted.
People make this rule out to be complicate. However, it’s not that complicated. Don’t lower your head to initiate contact with your helmet. There will be a lot more penalties, and fans will be frustrated, but this rule is a good one. It’ll just take some getting used to.