The NFL Needs to Protect Their Players

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Courtesy of AP Images

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen prays for Bills safety Damar Hamlin on Jan. 2.

Kody Moore, Staff writer

With millions of fans and yearly revenue of billions of dollars, the NFL is one of the most well-known and wealthy sports leagues in the world.

As the league has expanded, though, it has come under more and more scrutiny for how it manages player safety, particularly in regard to long-term injuries and concussions. It is obvious that more has to be done by the NFL to protect its players from injury risks and make sure they can have a lengthy career.

Another horrifying instance involved Damar Hamlin, a safety with the Buffalo Bills against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin successfully tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, but he soon collapsed on the field and suffered cardiac arrest. Athletic trainers quickly ran onto the field and Hamlin was quickly rushed to the hospital.

After the event happened, Hamlin is doing better but still, the NFL needs to do something about protecting their players. 

These football players are putting their lives on the line each week for the NFL to not care about them. Hamlin’s contract was not even fully guaranteed and he was making less than one million dollars per year.

The NFL simply does not care about its athletes and it is noticing. The league must address several crucial issues, including concussions. 

To better protect its players from these risks, the NFL must establish tighter concussion protocols, such as mandatory concussion spotters who are trained to identify possible concussions and have the authority to take players off the field if necessary.

Additionally, the NFL has to do more to educate players, coaches, and other team members on the risks of injuries and the importance of player safety. This might comprise providing players with informational materials on the long-term effects of injuries and how to avoid them, as well as more in-depth instruction on injury care and prevention.

Overall, it is evident that the NFL must take steps to shield its players from harm. The league can contribute to ensuring that its players may enjoy lengthy, healthy careers and that football remains a safe sport for everyone involved by instituting more stringent concussion protocols, promoting player safety in other areas, and investing in education and research.