Ed Reed Says If The NFL Wants To Stop Concussion, Stop The Game

The NFL has quite a conundrum going on with its attempts to make the game more safer, protect its shield, and still try to sell the general public on it being a great violent sports.

Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed won the appeal of his 1 game suspension and fine, but still has a bone to pick with the league.

Reed was quoted as saying he wasn’t about the way things transpired, and that it’s a shame it had to come to a suspension.

Reed continued to vent to the Baltimore Sun during a Thanksgiving event at Booker T. Washington High School.

“The rules of the game have changed a whole lot since I got in the league.”
“Over my career, I’ve never been that guy. I don’t plan on being that guy. It’s a shame it even came to this point. That’s what the NFLPA was saying, that’s what Dick Cass was saying.
“It’s a shame it even came to this point, being that I’ve been on the other side of hits that have been illegal towards me. I’ve got a lot of respect for that organization, the Steelers, and the other teams in the league. I never played the game that way. I know just as well as I can do the hitting somebody else can, too. I have football camps I’m not teaching that to my kids. it’s something we have to deal with as players. It’s a shame we have to do that.”

In a letter to Reed from arbitrator Ted Cotrell it stated, “I have determined that your actions were egregious and warrant significant discipline. However, I do not believe that your actions were so egregious as to subject you to a one-game suspension without pay. Player safety is the league’s primary concern in the formation of playing rules and all players are expected to adhere to those rules or face disciplinary action. I hope in the future you will focus on ensuring that your play conforms to the rules.”
Ted Cotrell basically called Ed Reed’s style of play offensive.

I’m appalled someone didn’t proofread Cotrell’s letter before he sent it out.
Reed continued to voice his displeasure with the situation yesterday.

“It really needs to be discussed for a fine to come down like that so harshly for that hit,” Reed said. “Over my career and for them to go back to 2010 for me scratching Drew Brees on the head, even the one that happened in Week 2 with Michael Vick, c’mon, man. I’m going for the ball. It’s a contact sport. It’s a lot that needs to be done with it, man. I’m just glad I can play with my teammates. I’m not happy with the $50 grand, but what can you do?”
“It’s a lot of guys across the league that’s been on the end of this. We the ones who play the game. It’s got to be a fine line between this. This is not over between myself or the league. It’s a lot that needs to be done because it is about safety. It is about protecting the players it’s something that us as players need to police as well.
“At the same time, we grew up watching the game be played a certain way and playing it a certain way. It is tackle football. It is a contact sport and a brutal one, a violent one at that, the No. 1 violent sport, sad to say. I know concussions has been a big thing. I’ve had concussions before and I know guys are going to have concussions. If you want to stop it, stop the game. Like people say, it’s starting to be a flag football thing. I have a flag football tournament. We can make this a big thing is we want to everybody can come get in my league.”

The NFL blew another opportunity to do something right towards their players.

Ed Reed is an exemplary example of how the game is supposed to be played in a violent, graceful, yet controlled manner.

If the league wanted to make an example out of someone, I’m sure they could have picked a better candidate.

Robert Littal

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