*FAN SUBMISSION by Erin Gallagher of Iowa City, Iowa. Follow her on Twitter @erin_galla.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
In the San Francisco 49ers Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals, wide receiver Anquan Boldin paid a hefty price for his helmet to helmet hit on Arizona cornerback Tony Jefferson. The play not only cost the 49ers a 15 yard retreat out of the red zone, but came with an $8,268 price tag for Boldin. In light of the recent calls for a change in the way the NFL handles the prevention of concussions and head trauma, this fine initially appears to be not only necessary, but also satisfactory.
In the 2013 season alone, there were a reported 228 concussions during both the pre and regular NFL seasons. Many of these injuries came from helmet to helmet hits, like the one delivered by Boldin. According to Dr. John Hart from the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas – Dallas, athletes in the league are starting to feel the effects. “Tests performed on a group of retired NFL players revealed that more than 40 percent suffered from problems such as depression and dementia, adding to a growing pile of evidence that repeated sports-related head traumas can lead to lasting neurological issues.”
To combat these dangerous plays and protect the health of their athletes, the NFL recently enforced fines on players for targeting opponents above the shoulders. First time offenders for such an action like Boldin pay $8,268 to the NFL, as do those penalized for late hits, face masks, fighting, roughing the passer, chop blocking and kicking.
These pricey penalties reflect the NFL’s claim of keeping the safety of their players as their number 1 priority, right?
WRONG.
Courtesy: CBS Local San Francisco
Just two weeks after Boldin’s helmet to helmet infraction, teammate, quarterback Colin Kaepernick, found himself face to face with a hefty fine of his own. Instead of a helmet, the quarterback was disciplined for his ‘wrongful’ use of a much different kind of headgear; headphones. The NFL issued Kaepernick with a fine labeled as an ‘Other Uniform/Equipment Violation’. How much did this violation cost him? The answer is almost laughable. Kaepernick was ordered to pay up a ridiculous $10,000 to the NFL, $1,732 more dollars than his receiver.
The violation stems from the NFL’s recent contract change with their official headset and headphone provider. As Motorola’s rumored $40 million contract came to an end, an undisclosed but likely much, much higher amount was offered to them by the American audio equipment company Bose. However, unlike the NFL, Kaepernick doesn’t have an endorsement deal with Bose; he works for Beats.
The Golden State’s golden boy showed up to his press conference after a 22-17 victory over the Chiefs with a pair of bright pink Beats headphones resting loudly on his neck. Unfortunately, this violated the NFL’s 90 minute post game ban on wearing any other headphone brand and particularly the prohibition of sporting another brand anywhere that cameras may be rolling.
His penalty brings about a lot of questions regarding the actual priorities of the NFL. The fact that Kaepernick’s fine for a sponsorship infraction cost more than Boldin’s fine for a dangerous play suggests that the health of the NFL’s bank accounts may matter more to them than the health of their players. The league has profited millions of dollars in fines this year, a running total of $21,917,703 to be exact. Could this have anything to do with the $675 million setback the NFL faced last year after over 4,500 former players filed a suit against them for their weak approach to concussions? Probably.
As more current and former athletes are beginning to speak out, it’s clear that until the NFL starts to prove they actually care more about important issues like head injuries rather than ‘incorrectly branded headphones’, they’re likely to keep getting an earful.
Excellent analysis!