By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
The league will urge players to wear more knee, thigh and hip protection this preseason with an eye toward making the changes mandatory in 2011, said Ray Anderson, the NFL ‘s Executive Vice President of Football Operations.
Many NFL players have abandoned knee, thigh and hip pads to try to gain a speed edge. Many wide receivers, defensive backs and linebackers wear little more than helmets and shoulder pads.
But Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to make the game safer for players — and help teams avoid man-hours lost to otherwise preventable injuries. The league also wants to set a safety example for college and high school players, Anderson said.
The NFL will ask players from 12 of its 32 clubs (from the East Coast to allow for easier access for league personnel) to experiment with newer, lighter knee, thigh and hip pads during training camps and preseason games this summer. The players can use the equipment during the regular season if they want.
The NFL rulebook recommends players wear knee, hip and thigh pads, but only uniforms, helmets and shoulder pads are mandatory.
“It’s not mandated for 2010. But we anticipate we’ll need to mandate it going forward,” Anderson said. “We’re not going to relinquish on player safety. Particularly when we know we can prevent lost workdays and help players stay on the field. That’s to their benefit and the club’s benefit.”
Spokesman George Atallah said the NFL Players Association was aware of the initiative and working with the league to get feedback from the players. “The players union views this is as one of a number of different health and safety items on the agenda,” he said.
