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[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by skinsfaninok

If the NFL gets rid of Kickoffs/Punts, it will cripple the game. I'm sorry this is NOT 2nd grade football, these grown ass men signed up to play and get PAID BIG MONEY for playing a game. Let's not act like they don't know the risk they are taking. Seriously they are going down a path that could end up like baseball, nobody thought the MLB would ever be 2nd or 3rd fiddle and now it is.

While the rule changes are to protect the players, the bigger unspoken reason is to protect the NFL from big suits like the concussion one that NFL settled for huge money.
While the players do make a ton of money and are aware of the risks, the NFL lawyers and owners do not want to expose themselves to more lawsuits.
Players taking a 40 to 50 yard run at full speed to crash into a wedge/another player does not happen in any other play in football. So they think, why not eliminate it.
I see both sides of the argument.
In reverse an unintended increase in exposure was changing rules to promote more passing, it has resulted in exposing receivers more.