Honoring the Game

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Honoring the Game
Health & Safety

Health & Safety

Working toward protecting athletes in football and across all sports.

The NFL is committed to protecting all players and helping to create a healthier experience for athletes across all sports.

The league works to protect player by adopting and enforcing the rules, educating athletes at all levels of the game, advocating for better technique and training at all levels, and continuously researching new technologies and innovations.

Playsmartplaysafe.com serves as the NFL’s one-stop comprehensive resource for all health- and safety-related issues.

RULES

Throughout its history, the NFL has revised its rules to remove dangerous play from the game. The Competition Committee, which spearheads the rules-changing process, reviews injury data after every season and examines video to see how injuries occur. More than a dozen NFL health and safety committees, subcommittees and panels provide input, as does the NFL Players Association. The Player Safety Advisory Panel submits formal recommendations directly to the Competition Committee and the commissioner.

See the NFL's health and safety rules changes over the past 30 years.

Eliminating chop blocks, horse-collar tackles and hits on defenseless players and emphasizing roughing-the-passer rules have helped protect players from unnecessary risks. When injuries on kickoffs emerged as a concern in the 2000s, the league moved the kickoff line to reduce the rate of returns and outlawed wedges of three or more blockers.

In addition, the NFL and the NFL Players Association work together to protect players by outlining infractions and punishments for improper player conduct, dangerous plays or incorrect use of safety equipment. The league also mandates the proper maintenance and testing of playing fields to reduce the risk of injury.

EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY

The NFL works closely with coaches, staff and players at all levels of football — from youth leagues and high schools to colleges and beyond — to emphasize proper tackling techniques and educate the entire football community about ways to limit injuries.

League efforts include Heads Up Football, which offers education programs for coaches of youth and high school programs, teaches young players proper tackling techniques and provides players, coaches and parents with programs on injury and health awareness.

Learn more about how the NFL is leading the way in protecting players at all ages.

EVOLUTION OF EQUIPMENT

Evolution of the Helmet

When the NFL was founded in 1920, soft leather was the headgear of choice for players — if they used any head protection at all. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

By the late 1920s, hard leather had replaced soft leather. Still, some players chose not to wear helmets until the NFL mandated their use in 1943. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

The NFL adopted plastic helmets in 1949, then added padding to the inside a year later. The use of plastic allowed helmets to be customized — and the Los Angeles Rams were the first to put the team logo there. (AP Photo/HPM)

In 1955, sports equipment manufacturer Riddell added single-bar face masks to plastic helmets, using a design patented by Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown. By the 1962 season, every helmet included a face mask — a protective device that continues to evolve to this day. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

In the 1970s, air bladders and interconnected air pockets were put inside helmets, providing a better fit and greater protection. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

The mid-1980s featured two helmet-related debuts: polycarbonate shells and protective visors. (AP Photo/Al Golub)

In the 2000s, helmet manufacturers produced models that used advanced suspension and cushioning systems to enhance protection. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

In June 2014, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment — a nonprofit corporation that sets safety standards for football, baseball and lacrosse helmets and other equipment — announced revisions in testing criteria for football helmets, meaning that manufacturers will have to meet additional performance requirements. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)

The helmet continues to evolve. The NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee continuously evaluates research on new technology, including in-helmet sensors and other methods of preventing, detecting and treating injuries. (AP Photo/Scott Boehm)

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The days of simple leather pads are long gone. Now the NFL works with equipment partners and engineering experts to identify cutting-edge technologies and innovations to help keep players safe without affecting their performance or the quality of play.

This holds true from head to toe. Manufacturers recently modified the design of chin straps in response to player complaints about their durability, and an NFL Safety Equipment and Playing Rules Subcommittee evaluates the performance of safety equipment for head and neck protection. An NFL Foot and Ankle Subcommittee tests shoes for durability and flexibility, and analyzes injury data to inform its work with shoe and equipment manufacturers.

Over the past 90-plus years, helmets have evolved from soft leather that offered minimal protection to polycarbonate shells with advanced suspension and cushioning systems. And technological advancements have enabled manufacturers to develop shoulder pads that are both more comfortable and more protective.

RESEARCH AND FUNDING

More than a dozen NFL committees, subcommittees and panels — many with independent scientific and medical experts as members — study injury-prevention issues in depth. They make recommendations to the league on health-related issues, policies, research and programs and contribute to the rule-making process.

The league also provides tens of millions of dollars in grants and other funding for research projects. The NFL Foundation in 2014 committed $25 million over a three-year period to test and expand health and safety projects, including $1 million to pay for athletic trainers in underserved high schools across the country.

CONCUSSIONS

The NFL’s Head, Neck and Spine Committee has developed a comprehensive set of protocols to diagnose and manage concussions in players, along with a sideline tool to evaluate potentially injured players in real time. Players must meet established criteria before returning to the field after a possible injury.

NFLevolution.com describes the NFL’s concussion-related policies, procedures and programs in detail.

In addition, at every game the NFL has independently certified athletic trainers — referred to as ATC spotters — who serve as another set of eyes to spot potential injuries. They focus in particular on concussions and other head and neck issues.

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NFL Football Operations’ mission is to establish a culture of clarity, consistency and credibility in all aspects of the greatest game. Football is an essential piece of America’s fabric, uniting fans, players and communities with a simple yet powerful bond. We honor our game’s history while continuing to innovate and preserve our sport for future generations of fans, players, coaches, teams and officials.

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