On Tuesday, the NFL announced it would begin suspending players for "dangerous" and "flagrant" head-to-head hits.
Over the weekend, a number of high-profile injuries in both the NFL and college football highlighted the dangers of helmet-to-helmet tackling. Several NFL players suffered brain injuries, and a Rutgers University football player was paralyzed.
The NFL moved quickly and announced its new plans. In the past, players were fined, but from now on, they could be suspended.
Coach David Bennett at Coastal Carolina University thinks the NFL's move is a good one, and he hopes it encourages college and high school programs to take note.
"There's got to be something done to stop head-to-head contact because kids are going to continue to do it," Bennett said.
Bennett agreed that fans love a good tackle -- the bigger, the better, right? -- but he says player safety must come first.
"You play football for only so long, but you got to use your brain for a long, long time," Bennett said.
CCU's team physician, Dr. Curtis Elliott, said teams and doctors are taking brain injuries (i.e. concussions) more seriously these days, but he realizes some people don't like to accept it.
"Sometimes that's not what coaches and fans want to see, but these people really need to be out for a few weeks to let their heads heal up," said Elliott who's also an orthopedic physician with Coastal Orthopedics.
Elliott also works with three Horry County high schools and their football programs, and so far this year, he says he's seen about 15-20 concussions, most of them mild.
Mild or not though, they must be treated appropriately.
"Your brain is just like any other organ. It can be bruised, and it needs to heal before you go back to contact sports."
In college football, it is illegal to tackle helmet-to-helmet, but Bennett said it's rarely called.
"It's called in this game ... it's not called here. It's called here. It's not called there," he said.
Hopefully, Bennett says, the NFL's decision to get tougher on helmet-to-helmet tackles will mean a change for the younger players. "College kids, high school kids, they watch the NFL, and so I think the tougher they are on it, the more it will trickle down."
