The vicious head on tackles that ruled football since its birth may be coming to a close- or at least the league is attempting to abolish it. Back in the “80’s Raider” days, the gritty Howie Long tackles were glorified by the league and sent fans jumping from their seats. Those hits inducted legendary players like Art Donovan, Allen Page, and Randy White into the hall of fame. Now the head leading hits have refs throwing flags like confetti after a Super Bowl victory.

Back in 2012 the league banned above the belt tackles in an effort to reduce brain injury in players. Since then, the league has implemented nearly forty rule changes supporting this. One of which “prohibit a player from launching himself off the ground and using his helmet to strike a player in a defenseless posture in the head or neck.” As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell put it, “We’ve demonstrated the game is safer and the game is better.”

However “safer” is not a term to describe the recent Bengals- Steelers AFC playoff game on January 9th, where one illegal hit from an infamously dirty Bengal linebacker, Vontaze Burfict, resulted in a season-ending loss for the Bengals coupled with many injured. The penalty Burfict drew for the cringe worthy hit on Antonio Brown allowed the Steelers to move into position for their game-winning field goal.

But it is not only the Bengals that suffered from this tough loss. Star receiver Antonio Brown was ruled out with a concussion as they headed on the road to play the Broncos.  Star running back, Le’Veon Bell, was also ruled out and Big Ben was listed as questionable all from Burfict blows.

So even with new rules implemented, is there really such thing as “safe” football being “better” football Goodell?

NFL linebacker Scott Fujita, tells Patrick Hruby, a writer for Sports on Earth, “Go ahead, change the rules. Teach different techniques. Concussive helmet-to-helmet hits are still going to happen. So are concussive knee-to-helmet hits. And concussive helmet-to-face mask hits. And countless other sub concussive blows to the head, which research suggests are also dangerous.”

There is no fine big enough or number of flags thrown to stop the dirty hitters or illegal tackles, meaning there is no way to stop the brain injuries: it is fighting a loosing battle. Eliminating helmet to helmet tackles isn’t going to eliminate player injury. These concussive hits are going to happen in pro football. It is the nature of the game mixed with the heat of the moment.

So as the NFL outlaws head leading tackles in an effort to reduce head injury, this now brings concern to below the belt hits.

Chief of Football Operations, Ray Anderson, told the Associated Press, “When making the head and neck area completely off-limits to players, there was some concern players might lower their targets and might include knees and below. We will look at that going forward.”

Those below the belt hits are just as dangerous; it is a very fine line here. Hit a player legally under the belt and risk a potential ACL injury which could end a player’s pro football career. Or hit a player illegally head on and risk a possible concussion, perhaps face CTE or other traumatic brain injuries, in the future.

This is the nature of a contact sport. Risks come hand in hand with pro football.

Sports Journalist, Patrick Hruby, writes in a Sports on Earth article, “They’re paid to take and give physical punishment, not to worry about their long-term health and well-being.”

Just like going to war, these soldiers know the risks, but it is what they are committed to do; it is their job. Football at the end of the day is work for players; it is how they make their livelihood. And these players know the list of dangers, so why take head on tackles away from the game?

Cleveland Browns defensive lineman, Robaire Smith, tells NFL Wire Reports, “I think that would change everybody’s job for one, it would take leverage and explosion out of the game. It would almost be like really saying don’t go out there, don’t be physical, don’t hit.” He adds, “I think it would be taking away like 70 percent of what really goes on in football.”

These rules are like fighting a loosing battle. The game, no matter how players hit, will always come with injuries whether that be head trauma or a blown out knee.

So “safe” football is essentially just as real as Big Foot. If Goodell is as worried as he claims about “player safety” by trying to eliminate hitting with blows to the head, fans might as well be cheering for a two hand touch league.