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Pash: Good morning. Thank you. We opened with a player health and safety presentation that included Dr. John York, the chairman of our owner committee on that subject; myself; Dr. David Satcher, the former surgeon general of the United States; and Dr. (Elliot) Pellman, our medical director. We reviewed a series of subjects.
Partnership between NFL, NFL Players Association, USA Football, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association (NAERA), NCAA, National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), Rawlings, Riddell, Schutt, and Xenith is supported by U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission
As part of a joint commitment to player safety, a group of sports entities and equipment manufacturers has entered into an unprecedented partnership to create a youth football safety and helmet replacement program for youth in underserved communities. The initiative will remove helmets that are 10 years old or older and replace them with new helmets at no cost to the beneficiary leagues and will provide coaches with the latest educational information to help keep their young athletes safer and healthier.
In its first year, the program is being piloted in four markets: the California Bay Area, Gulf Coast region, Northern Ohio, and the tri-state region around New York City. The NFL, NFLPA, NCAA and NOCSAE have committed a combined total of approximately $1 million to the program in its first year. The pilot program is designed to provide valuable information on the state of youth football helmets, including the number of helmets 10 years old or older in use. As of 2012, NAERA members will no longer recondition or recertify any helmet that is 10 years of age or older. NOCSAE will collect the helmets when removed and use them for ongoing research programs.
USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and the Official Youth Football Development Partner of the NFL and NFLPA, will lead the execution of the program. Other partners in the initiative are the NFL, NFL Players Association, CDC, NAERA, NCAA, NOCSAE and the SGMA. Equipment manufacturers Rawlings, Riddell, Schutt, and Xenith are providing discounted helmets. To learn more or apply for helmets, visit www.usafootball.com/playersafety
The effort, initiated by CPSC Chairman INEZ TENENBAUM, is expected to educate thousands of youth football coaches on vital health and safety issues and provide nearly 13,000 new helmets to youth football players in low-income communities in 2012. Helmets will be distributed beginning in July.
“We are pleased to be part of this initiative, which will give children in underserved communities access to new helmets, and to reach coaches and parents with educational information to help protect young athletes from head injuries,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. “This program is part of our focus on player safety at all levels of the game. We are proud to join with these well-respected organizations to make the Helmet Replacement Program a reality.”
The NFL offered support and thanks to Idaho and Governor Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, who signed the bill today. The bill protects young athletes and fosters head injury awareness in youth sports.
The law will prevent students from returning to play until they are without symptoms and have been cleared by a health care provider who has been trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and head injuries. In addition, it requires education for coaches, youth athletes and their parents or guardian on the signs and treatment of head injuries.
The NFL actively supported the passage of this law.
Laws like these are inspired by Zackery Lystedt who, in 2006, suffered a brain injury following his return to a middle school football game after sustaining a concussion. Zackery, his family and a broad range of medical, business and community partners, including the NFL, lobbied the Washington state legislature for a law to protect young athletes in all sports from returning to play too soon.
In January, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NCAA President Mark Emmert sent letters to governors of 19 states that did not have concussion laws urging them to pass a law similar to the Lystedt Law. In the letter, Commissioner Goodell and President Emmert said sports and political leaders can help raise awareness of concussions while ensuring proper and effective treatment.
Since the passage of the Lystedt Law in 2009, 32 states have enacted similar laws protecting young athletes. Idaho becomes the 33rd state to do so.
To learn more about the NFL’s commitment to health and about the Lystedt Law, visit www.nflhealthandsafety.com .
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The NFL and Green Bay Packers hosted today a bill-signing ceremony for AB 259, the Sidelined for Safety Act, at Lambeau Field today. The bill protects young athletes and fosters head injury awareness in youth sports.
The law will prevent students from returning to play until they are without symptoms and have been cleared by a health care provider who has been trained in the evaluation and management of concussion and head injuries. In addition, it requires education for coaches, youth athletes and their parents or guardian on the signs and treatment of head injuries.
The NFL and Green Bay Packers actively supported the passage of this law.
“Today’s bill signing represents a big victory for all youth athletes throughout the state,” said MARK MURPHY, Packers President and CEO. “The law reflects the concussion management and return-to-play guidelines that apply in the NFL. We apply one simple rule: medical decisions must always come before competitive ones. No exceptions.”
During today’s press conference at the NFL Annual Meeting, Commissioner Goodell answered a question on the status of HGH testing.
On HGH testing and the hindrance caused by the NFLPA’s request to first acquire a population study consisting only of NFL players:
If the population study was the only thing in the way from us reaching an agreement, we would have an agreement. Let me put it that way. We are prepared to do that if that resolves the issue. I sent an e-mail to (NFLPA Executive Director) De(Maurice Smith) before I left, and unfortunately, our meetings sort of crossed, but HGH was on that list and I expect by the end of the week I will be speaking to him about it again.
The NFL, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers offered support and thanks to Pennsylvania and Governor Tom Corbett, who signed Senate Bill 200 yesterday. The bill protects young athletes and fosters head injury awareness in youth sports.
The new legislation, sponsored by Senator Patrick Browne, will prevent students from returning to play until they have been cleared by appropriate medical professional and requires training and education for teachers, coaches, and school personnel on the signs and treatment of head injuries. In addition, athletes who demonstrate signs or symptoms of concussion must be removed from play or practice immediately.
The NFL, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers have actively supported the passage of this law.
Each year about 170,000 young athletes go to their local emergency center for a suspected sports- or recreation-related concussion, according to a report released today by the CDC. This is an increase of over 60% during the last decade. And every day, health care professionals are challenged with identifying and appropriately managing kids and teens who may be at risk for short- or long-term problems.
To help address this important public health problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched “Heads Up to Clinicians: Addressing Concussion in Sports among Kids and Teens,” a new, free online course for health care professionals, made possible by a grant from the National Football League (NFL) to the CDC Foundation. The course is available at www.cdc.gov/Concussion and www.nflhealthandsafety.com.
“We are pleased to assist the CDC in ensuring that health care providers are properly trained in head injury prevention and treatment,” said NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash. “The ‘Heads Up’ course is an important step in our efforts to support the health and safety of youth athletes.”
The course includes a free continuing education opportunity. At the end of the course, participants can take a brief quiz and obtain a certificate and continuing education credits through the American College of Sports Medicine.
“We are pleased that this public-private partnership between CDC and the NFL will expand knowledge of concussion prevention and treatment for kids and teens. We are grateful to the NFL for generously supporting this initiative,” said Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation.
Learn more at www.cdc.gov/Concussion and www.NFLHealthandSafety.com.
The editorial board of USA Today in today’s paper expressed its disappointment with the NFL Players Association for blocking random HGH testing.
“The hype around human growth hormone — that HGH increases muscle mass, speeds healing of injuries and boosts the effect of steroids — has made it popular among athletes willing to cheat,” the editorial begins. “Never mind the drug’s serious dangers. And the fact that it’s tough to detect? For the cheaters, that’s a huge plus.
“All of which made the NFL and the NFL Players Association look good last month when they agreed to a modest, random HGH testing program in their collective bargaining agreement. But now, with the season going into its fourth week, the union is stiff-arming the plan, and there’s no telling when testing will begin.”
The editorial continues, “A few points are clear. If the union had so many objections to the current testing regime, it shouldn’t have agreed ‘in principle’ to start testing. At minimum, it should propose an alternative. The proposed program is modest. Far from testing every player, every game, it would start with weekly unannounced tests of five to 10 players on three clubs — all randomly chosen.
“And while tests are on hold, cheaters can prosper and players are endangered. It’s time to move the ball forward.”
For the complete USA Today editorial, click here.
DUNTA ROBINSON of the Atlanta Falcons has been fined $40,000 by NFL Vice President of Football Operations MERTON HANKS for a violation of player safety rules, the NFL announced today.
In the third quarter of Atlanta’s game against Philadelphia, Robinson violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 (a) (2) of the NFL Official Playing Rules, which states:
“It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.
(a) Players in a defenseless posture are…(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner.”
On the play, Robinson lowered his head and made forcible contact to the head and neck area of Philadelphia wide receiver JEREMY MACLIN. Although Maclin completed the catch, he was still a defenseless player under the rule because he did not have time to protect himself and had not clearly become a runner.
Robinson is a repeat offender of player safety rules. He was fined $25,000 for a 2010 violation of player safety rules (Unnecessary Roughness, Week 6, October 17, 2010). The minimum amount in the 2011 Fine Schedule for a second violation of the rules on hits against defenseless players is $40,000. The fine schedule is distributed to all NFL players in training camp.
In a letter to Robinson, Hanks noted, “Future offenses will result in an escalation of fines up to and including suspension.”
The NFL commends California, whose legislature passed Assembly Bill 25 today. The bill, which now moves to the governor’s office, protects young athletes and fosters head injury awareness in youth sports.
The bill contains three core components: 1) a youth athlete suspected of suffering a concussion in school sports cannot return to play that same day; 2) once removed from play, an after-school youth athlete cannot return to play until they have been evaluated and cleared to play by a licensed medical professional; and 3) parents must complete an education form prior to their child participating in the youth sports activity.
Assembly Bill 25 was authored by Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi and Senator Tony Strickland and is strongly supported by the NFL, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, educators, youth sports organizations and health professionals. It was co-sponsored by Senate President pro tem Darrell Steinberg, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez and Senator Alex Padilla.
The NFL, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders all supported the passage of the bill.
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