Thompson: One Rule Change Bears Fans Can Cheer About
Devin Hester publicly denounced the NFL rule changes that move the kickoff up to the 35-yard line and, as one of the best return specialists the league has ever seen, he should be upset.
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Devin Hester publicly denounced the NFL rule changes that move the kickoff up to the 35-yard line and, as one of the best return specialists the league has ever seen, he should be upset.
When the NFL owners voted on major changes in the kickoff Tuesday, safety was the obvious reason. But what might not be so clear is making the NFL more safe gives the owners more to justify an 18 game season.
There hasn't been any talk among the owners about using replacement players if the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987 continues on, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday.
If you talk to players about the NFL game, they all will tell you that the kickoff is the most dangerous play in the game.
I wish I could get a little more worked up about the changes in the NFL kickoff rule in the way Bears management has been. As much as anyone I get excited over the prospect of Devin Hester launching a lengthy return.
As the impasse between NFL players and owners continues, the owners went ahead with their annual meeting Tuesday and voted for major changes in the kickoff.
The NFL might currently be split on many issues, but there's one thing that all the coaches agree on, they fully expect for their players to be ready to go when the lockout ends.
The NFL owners called to vote today on some newly proposed rules to be implemented in the NFL this next season.
It appears as if there's actually football to talk about when it comes to the NFL. New proposed kickoff rules would make them safer, but reduce some of the big-play potential.
NFL claims that there are no legal grounds to remove the current lockout, and on Monday that's the case they brought before a federal judge.
Figures obtained by The Associated Press underscore the substantial divide between the NFL and the locked-out players on a core issue: What portion of additional revenue goes to players.
NFL team owners are now arguing that players failed to bargain in good faith during failed negotiations earlier this month, and that the move to decertify the union was simply a negotiating ploy.
The locked-out NFL players wrote Commissioner Roger Goodell back Saturday. "Your statements are false" is what the players had to tell the commissioner.
The NFL Players Association says labor negotiations broke down last week because the owners' last proposal would have made salaries a fixed cost and eliminated the players' chance to share in higher-than-projected revenue growth.
Despite the current NFL work stoppage, and the fact that players aren't allowed to meet with or talk with their coaches, the NFL plans to enforce the player conduct policy that was put into place in 2007.
The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has sent out a letter to football players in an attempt to resume negotiations. The letter addresses key points from the league's last proposal as well as the players union's choice to dissolve.
The NFL lockout means players won't be seeing any income until a new agreement is made. Players have to budget carefully and cover their own insurance expenses. Though many NFL players anticipated the lockout, some lower paid rookies will have a harder time keeping up with their expenses.
Significant changes to kickoffs might be coming to an NFL stadium near you.
In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Minnesota Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson made the comment that the players' role in the NFL is like "modern-day slavery.'
On Wednesday, the NFL asked a federal judge to keep the details of a $4 billion TV revenue dispute sealed, citing commercially sensitive information within the contracts.
The NFL players and owners are currently in a very heated and ugly labor dispute that could put all, or some, of the 2011 season in jeopardy, but caught in the middle of those two sides are the coaches of all 32 teams.
Though nothing is certain yet, NFL players are still preparing for a 2011 season. It isn't as easy as they're used to. The lockout is keeping NFL players from working out in their teams' facilities and forcing them to plan their preparations on their own time, but players are getting it done.
Among changes for the next NFL season, whenever that is, are more suspensions for illegal hits, and possible adjustments to instant replays and kickoffs.
The Chicago Bears took out a full page advertisement in the Wednesday's Chicago Tribune to urge fans to be patient with the current labor situation and assure them of where the team's focus rests.
Out of greed once again comes stupidity! I understand that with money comes more responsibility…but why cannot NFL players and the owners be more responsible when it comes to this NFL lockout.
