CASPER
New member
NEW YORK – Commissioner Roger Goodell was planning to briefly stop by the hotel where the NFL's head, neck and spine medical committee met Wednesday to hear from equipment makers, researchers, the military and NASCAR about how to improve helmet safety and cut down on concussions.
Goodell wound up listening in for a few hours.
"There was a general view that the helmets have improved, but we all have to work harder to find how we're going to take it to the next evolution of those helmets — gathering all the data, gathering all the technology that's being developed," Goodell said. "There are some very positive developments, but there are different approaches, and that was clear."
He also spoke about the link between player safety and the league's push for an 18-game regular season during labor negotiations with the union, referring to possible changes to offseason workouts, training camp and even in-season practices, as well as the recent "focus on rules and taking those techniques we think are dangerous out of the game."
Indeed, as much as there might have been differing opinions presented Wednesday about the best ways to pursue new helmets, one point of agreement among concussion experts was that styles of play need to be changed.
"All the scientists said that if we can eliminate a lot of the helmet-to-helmet hits ... we can certainly lessen the risks of the severe injuries," said Richard Ellenbogen, chairman of the University of Washington medical school's department of neurological surgery and co-chair of the NFL head, neck and spine committee.
A member of the committee, University of North Carolina professor Kevin Guskiewicz, is optimistic that helmet design and materials will improve.
"But we stand a much better chance of minimizing concussion and eventually preventing concussion by behavior modification. We need to be focused on teaching young players, as well as collegiate and professional players, how to tackle appropriately, not leading with the head," Guskiewicz said. "Changing the culture at the professional level will be a challenge, but I think the NFL has done a good job over the past several months here to begin that process."
Goodell noted that some "team doctors mentioned to me that players in the past would have gone back in had it not been for our return-to-play guidelines" installed a year ago.
Among the topics discussed at Wednesday's meeting:
_should there be changes to the way helmets are tested in laboratories;
_when might sensors in helmets, mouthguards and/or earpieces be used for on-field testing among NFL players;
_should helmets be made for particular positions, so that a quarterback, for example, would wear equipment that is different from what a lineman wears;
Goodell wound up listening in for a few hours.
"There was a general view that the helmets have improved, but we all have to work harder to find how we're going to take it to the next evolution of those helmets — gathering all the data, gathering all the technology that's being developed," Goodell said. "There are some very positive developments, but there are different approaches, and that was clear."
He also spoke about the link between player safety and the league's push for an 18-game regular season during labor negotiations with the union, referring to possible changes to offseason workouts, training camp and even in-season practices, as well as the recent "focus on rules and taking those techniques we think are dangerous out of the game."
Indeed, as much as there might have been differing opinions presented Wednesday about the best ways to pursue new helmets, one point of agreement among concussion experts was that styles of play need to be changed.
"All the scientists said that if we can eliminate a lot of the helmet-to-helmet hits ... we can certainly lessen the risks of the severe injuries," said Richard Ellenbogen, chairman of the University of Washington medical school's department of neurological surgery and co-chair of the NFL head, neck and spine committee.
A member of the committee, University of North Carolina professor Kevin Guskiewicz, is optimistic that helmet design and materials will improve.
"But we stand a much better chance of minimizing concussion and eventually preventing concussion by behavior modification. We need to be focused on teaching young players, as well as collegiate and professional players, how to tackle appropriately, not leading with the head," Guskiewicz said. "Changing the culture at the professional level will be a challenge, but I think the NFL has done a good job over the past several months here to begin that process."
Goodell noted that some "team doctors mentioned to me that players in the past would have gone back in had it not been for our return-to-play guidelines" installed a year ago.
Among the topics discussed at Wednesday's meeting:
_should there be changes to the way helmets are tested in laboratories;
_when might sensors in helmets, mouthguards and/or earpieces be used for on-field testing among NFL players;
_should helmets be made for particular positions, so that a quarterback, for example, would wear equipment that is different from what a lineman wears;
