Deion Sanders is recognized as one of the best, of not the best athletes the NFL has ever seen. He brought a level of flair to a position that wasn’t considered glamorous. As a defensive back you were recognized when you landed the “big hit” on a receiver who was outstretched, attempting to make a catch, putting himself and the receiver in line for smelling salt which according to the NFL was the cure for concussions. Deion Sanders, however, made “business decisions”. He knew the value of his health and athleticism. He was able to dominate a violent game while playing a tackleless brand of football. Instead of tackling, he would instead catch the ball himself, turn around and run the other way without being tackled.
Perhaps he was on to something. Perhaps defensive backs and wide receivers, who are the best athletes in football (and arguably the world) should not be subject to high-speed collisions on every passing play. Perhaps a more sophisticated form of flag football should be played. Perhaps the running and passing game are two different sports anyway. They require different personnel, different skill sets, different rules, different equipment, and different coaches.
If you’ve ever watched a 7 on 7 drill or competitive flag football you’d see the majority of the skill and execution take place starting from pre-snap up until the completion or incompletion. What happens afterwards is of less consequence. So why does it have to end in a crescendo of bodies. The St. Louis Rams teams of the early 2000’s under offensive coordinator and eventually head coach Mike Martz played an exciting and very successful brand of football. Their receivers would routinely make “business decisions” when defenders were bearing down on them. No one complained about it because deep down we can all recognize that survival is a basic instinct and the fan in us didn’t feel like we were being cheated as far as effort.
But what if these tremendous athletes didn’t have the threat of a potential career-ending, life altering collision? What kind of artistry could be expressed? LeBron James can run full speed, jump as high as needs to to catch a lob, and dunk without fear of being undercut because of a mutual respect of humanity which should be at the center of all athletic competition. What if our favorite quarterbacks and receivers could have longer careers and we can enjoy their talents through different stages rather than until the next catastrophic injury? What if they can play without helmets and body armor so we can see their body language and facial expressions? I see a much more beautiful and sustainable game.
Tackling should be reserved for the running game. The running game, which features running backs, linemen, and linebackers, is better more suited for contact. First of, the spacing is reduced so there isn’t nearly as many top speed collisions. The runner also is not preoccupied with catching a ball while navigating through opponents trying to end him. He can anticipate and brace himself for contact. Personally, I’d like to see this running game played without quarterbacks, kickers, and maybe punting and spruced up with lateral passes and pitches. I’d like to see diversified skill sets and maybe even two-way play. Imagine a more practical and safer kind of rugby.
Because of pesky things like science and research and facts and death and stuff, the NFL has reluctantly attempted to make changes to the game to save face in the midst of a crisis that threatens the future of the sport. My assertion is that the sport as is has no future. It must evolve. Like heavyweight boxing, it will quickly fade out of the mainstream. Years of stifling research and penny-pinching has made football undesirable in comparison to other major sports. The NFL’s business decisions has fricaseed It’s golden goose.
