If The NFL Cares So Much About Safety, Then Why Don’t Players Wear Seatbelts?

We all know that playing in an NFL game is like a car crash, but that begs the question: If the NFL cares so much about safety and well-being of their athletes, then why don’t players wear seatbelts? 

Now, let’s take a quick look at the numbers. The average NFL player is likely to get five concussions during this playing career, while the average driver averages less than one concussion in their driving career. This cannot just be a coincidence. It is barbaric to play another down without making seat belts mandatory; otherwise, we will continue to see players go head first through windshields. 

“It’s insane that the NFL has not looked into seatbelts, but they should immediately look at emergency breaks and new brake pads,” said Thomas Callahan III, president of Callahan Auto Parts. “Not only does the NFL rank dead last in the J.D Power and Associates rankings, but by adding seat belts, they can also extend their player warranty.”

While this is an immediate fix to every one of the NFL’s safety problems, coaches from across the league have been apprehensive to change. In a recent survey, coaches mentioned that “it’s their right not to wear one” and “we didn’t need seatbelts when we played in the 70’s,” but did agree that kickers should be delicately placed in sideline car seats.

We should not stop at just seatbelts though. A standard issue quarterback should come equipped with car alarms and air bags. This would alert defensive lineman to a sack-in-progress and lessen the blow to the quarterback’s brain. Furthermore, players who get caught not wearing a seatbelt on the line of scrimmage are subject to three points on the scoreboard and a 15-yard ticket by local police, dramatically increasing the cost of the player’s life insurance policy.