The NFL held a video call with reporters to share updates on player health and safety as well as league operations
In the areas that improved over previous years, the league is delighted with the results of its “dynamic start” modifications and has permanently adopted the measure with further tweaks for 2025.
NFL player concussions fall to lowest level
In terms of the sport itself and directly concerning the protagonists of the sport, player concussions fell to their lowest level (despite the COVID-19 pandemic-affected 2020 season) since the league began tracking them in 2015.
It was revealed that players suffered 190 concussions in 2024, including preseason, regular season and postseason games, as well as practices. This was a decrease from 227 in 2023. In the previous 10 seasons, the high was 291 in 2017. This was due, among other measures, to the fact that the helmets were modified precisely to prevent this kind of concussion in the last season
However, it’s not all good news, as it was also revealed that sexual gestures and other provocations during matches by players increased by 133% last season.
Unsporting gestures, whether simulating, shooting or brandishing a weapon, or inappropriate gestures such as a throat-slitting or unfortunate sexual gestures, increased by almost 133%.
NFL seeks to eradicate sexual gestures
Former Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch became famous for a commonly used sexual gesture, even performing it as an exclamation point during his legendary “Beast Quake” touchdown run in Seattle during the 2010 playoffs.
“It’s one of those areas where the league wants to actively work,” said Walt Anderson, the league’s officiating rules analyst and former NFL referee for 17 seasons. “There are many other ways in which players can celebrate […] We want them to focus on those and not on the inappropriate areas.”
Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties result in 15-yard penalties on the field and can also result in fines, particularly for repeat offenders.
Read the full article here
