John Schaefer

Stubee

College Comp 2

Research Proposal

Football Safety

My topic in College Composition 2 is Football Safety. I’ve been a football fan

since about 5th grade and it has become my favorite sport overall. As a kid I never

really wanted to play football because I never had a passion for it at the time, but as I

started to watch it I wanted to get into it. Once I got to high school I joined the team and

played it throughout. Unfortunately I’m not playing in college but I still love watching.

Football safety has been the main focus on the sport the last couple of years. As time

moves on, our technology will grow and we can see the effects the game has on players

in the long run. If issues aren’t solved then football may go extinct. As a football fan, that

would be horrific to me and the other football fans around the globe.

Football has gone through many changes over the years. The game was created

in the 1920’s and safety wasn’t much of a thought. They believed that soft leather

helmets would cushion impact and it would be fine. As time moved on, they started to

notice the head injuries becoming a problem. So helmets and equipment started to

become a factor in the game. Eventually shoulder pads were created, helmets weren’t

leather anymore, and they started using pads on the knees. In today’s world, this just

isn’t enough. Injuries still happen so how can they fix the issue?
 The NFL and NCAA are going to take a huge hit if these injuries aren’t solved. As

parents start to get exposed about the risks involved with the sport, they won’t allow

their children to play. If children aren’t playing, then how will the NFL and NCAA

survive? The leagues have started to make changes to the rules to prevent head, knee,

and other injuries. An example is making “Leading with the helmet” a violation due to

the concussions that occur from those hits. Concussions, CTE, and traumatic injuries

are the most common. Our technology today can’t even detect CTE 100%. So who

knows how many players have this injury.

The problem with establishing new rules is the fact that it may “change the

game.” Some people believe that changing too many rules will impact the way the game

is played, and how players execute. Since there is now a rule that on a kickoff, a

touchback goes to the 25 yard line not the 20. What this does is allows the kick returner

make a decision on whether or not he should return it or not due to the fact that on

average, a returned ball doesn't even make it to the 25 yard line. This rule was put in

place to lower the amount of returned balls and lower the amount of head injuries on

kickoffs. Since this rule is in place, we see less returned balls taken for a touchdown or

a long return. This reduces the excitement on kickoffs and possibly the feel of the game.

This was just an example of how a rule can impact the way the game is played.

One Critical Theory that I can apply to this topic is the feminist theory. There has

never been a female player in the NFL. The main reason for this is because of issues
that may arise if the woman is hurt by a man that could be double her size. Men on

average are more genetically stronger and bigger. This causes problems with women

entering the league because of the amount of injuries that may occur. The NFL in 2015

hired the very first woman referee. This was a huge step for women because women

may not be able to play but they can be a part of the game in another way. Another

Critical Theory I can apply to this topic is the African American theory. In poor towns

across the globe usually consist of more African Americans than any other race.

Football is a huge way for parents to try to get their kids a scholarships or even a full

ride to any college to play football. With little to no money, football may be the only way

their kid has a chance at college. So football safety could prevent children around the

country to get an education or a job in the future.

Reference Page

“CTE in Former College Football Players.” Concussion Legacy Foundation, 11 Jan. 2019,

concussionfoundation.org/CTE-resources/cte-college-football.
Advanced Solutions International, Inc. “Preventing Football Injuries.” Statistics,

www.stopsportsinjuries.org/STOP/Prevent_Injuries/Football_Skating_Injury_Prevention.aspx.

Bell, Jarrett. “NFL, NCAA to Convene for Unprecedented Meeting Aimed at Aligning Player Safety Rules.” USA Today,

Gannett Satellite Information Network, 16 Oct. 2018,

www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2018/10/16/nfl-ncaa-football-player-safety-rules-

summit/1656686002/.