A league memo sent out on Monday called for the banishment of non standard or overbuilt facemasks. In other terms, you won’t be seeing anymore of the web style masks on players who don’t have a medical condition which would require them necessary. You may have heard about or seen said masks, which kick-started a social media storm once they began to be sported by notables such as Justin Tuck, Darnell Dockett, and Ray Lewis.
I’ve simplified the study performed by the University of New Hampshire for The National Football League. There are four reasons behind the abolishment of these facemasks.
1.The added weight of the mask takes away from the “structural integrity of the helmet during impact certification tests.”
2.The added weight of the mask forces the players head forward, thus generating more “head-down” tackling.
3.The myriad of small holes in each mask present a greater opportunity for players to get their fingers stuck and jammed.
4.The giant mask could also “negatively affect a player’s behavior” when hitting or tackling due to a feeling of invincibility with that bulky, intimidating headgear.
Dockett tweeted out on June 30, “Dear @nfl we have to many rules!!! The face mask issue is just nick picking. I mean please let us have some swagg. #pleasedontfineme”
Despite a few spelling gaffes, Dockett is making a compelling case for those players who want to sport the incredibly intimidating facemask options. It seems the NFL is always out seeking new ways to strip away their players’ swagger.
On a more serious and less incredibly sarcastic note, the Baltimore Ravens Chris Canty, along with three other players, have legitimate cases to keep their hulking masks.
Canty was actually the first to sport it, as the new facemask and visor cover combined to give his eyes permanent protection. Or “eye” to be more specific.
In 2005, with only days before the NFL Combine, Canty was struck in the eye with a beer bottle. His retina had actually become detached. And yes it’s probably as painful as it sounds. Canty had to undergo several surgeries over the coming months and was informed that a poke in the eye during a football game could force him into early retirement.
Recently questioned about the new league rule, Canty had this to say to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “Not sure what the memo or new policy is, but it’s simple for me. No eye shield and custom mask means I can’t play. Eye would be at risk.”
Although he never officially filed for a patent or even pitched his creation on ABC’s Shark Tank, he came up with the idea and shouldn’t be stripped of his right to wear it because other players model it as a fashion statement.
“I invented it,” he said. “It’s that simple. I can’t play without it. I can’t help it that other guys think it’s cool and they want to wear it, too. It’s a necessity for me.”
We don’t believe he was calling out Darnell Dockett with that “other guys” statement, but yes it certainly does look cool. Canty will have to tediously apply once more to get medical exemption from the new regulation. It’s likely the NFL will grant him the exemption, or rather work with him on creating a different variation of the helmet to comply with his needs.
However, Dockett’s case doesn’t seem to have as much legitimacy. The NFL’s Twitter account (@NFL) has yet to respond or at the very least favorite Dockett’s tweet. If the National Football League has any sense of humor, they may change their minds upon seeing Dockett’s latest Instagram video on the matter. It’s one of a kind to say the least.
