Recent news of a bounty program in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, and possibly other teams is simply bad news. First, it makes playing the sport of football dangerous—more dangerous than it already is. An emphasis on concussions has been a major focus of the NFL in both research and rule-making groups, as studies have shown the negative medical effects experienced by many retired NFL players. To put all of the time and money into researching head injuries, and trying to make the game safer, and then to see where players go around the rules to devise programs where big hits and intentionally injuring players is rewarded basically thwarts all of the NFL’s efforts.
Secondly, rewarding players for intentionally harming others goes against ethics, and comes close—at least in my mind—to breaking the law given charges for assault, etc. People can be arrested for fights in bars, but we applaud injury-causing hits and display them on Sunday Night Football on national television. Something is wrong with this picture.
Third and finally, the NFL is viewed with honor, almost held to a sacred place in the minds of many families across the US. Young children cheer for their favorite players, and the Super Bowl might as well be a national holiday. What type of example does this give to youth when NFL players are being rewarded though financial payments for causing injuries?
Lindsey McAlarnen
Social Foundations of Coaching
Spring 2012
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