The gridiron has become a battlefield and players are the ones who suffer as a result.

Junior Seau had a stellar NFL career spanning twenty seasons, highlighted by twelve Pro Bowl appearances and a championship ring with the ’94 Chargers. 

He was known for his bone-crushing hits and played the game he loved with his heart. The game that brought him happiness hurt him emotionally. Seau committed suicide last month outside of his home. Although, Seau’s untimely death is a shock, it has become a frighteningly common trend.

Four players have committed suicide in the last year after suffering depression. The wear and tear these NFL greats endured over the course of their careers links the depression to the head trauma suffered throughout their football careers.

The pounding hits we as fans crave create as much detriment as excitement.  The ones we view as invincible are actually some of the most vulnerable.  The NFL must realize this alarming paradox and act.

Several teams have tested pioneering protection to the areas of the body that demand the most protection. Although this is progress, this is not enough. The fact that a few teams are ahead of the game means other teams are falling behind and still endangering their players.

The rulebook needs improvement as well.  Cringe-worthy hits often go unchecked and unpunished by referees and the league.  The rules must establish clarity not confusion.

The top tier of the sport should not be the only one making changes. These changes must filter down all the way through college, high school, and lower level leagues. Protecting the young will establish safety early and reduce the effects of the tackles and hits as they continue the game.

We must be weary of these hits that are replayed over and over again, because they may be the catalyst that puts a player on the path to suicide.

Yet, programs exist that endorse and reward these acts.

Four Saints players have been suspended for part or, in Jonathan Vilma’s case, the whole of the season, as well as head coach Sean Payton, for running an illegal scheme in which players placed bounties on injuring opposing team members to take them out of the game.

Released audio tapes show ex-Saints defensive coordinator Greg Williams telling his team to hit star players of the opposing team in vulnerable areas including the head and knees.

These gridiron woes for the Saints must be a wake-up call. The field has claimed the lives of NFL players but not enough action has been taken to protect the game I love.

Some may say the NFL has gotten “soft,” but I applaud Roger Goodell’s effort to ensure safety and ensure the game is protected yet competititve.