Roger Goodell Sends Memo To Teams About About Increased Discipline For Illegal Hits To Head And Neck Areas

Below is the verbatim memo sent out by Roger Goodell to all 32 NFL teams on Thursday:

TO NFL PLAYERS AND COACHES:

One of our highest priorities is player safety. We all know that football is a tough game that includes hard contact. But that carries with it an obligation to do all that we can to protect all players from unnecessary injury caused by dangerous techniques from those who play outside the rules.

The video shown today shows what kind of hits are against the rules, but also makes clear that you can play a hard, physical game within the rules.

Violations of the playing rules that unreasonably put the safety of another player in jeopardy have no place in the game, and that is especially true in the case of hits to the head and neck. Accordingly, from this point forward, you should be clear on the following points:

1. Players are expected to play within the rules. Those who do not will face increased discipline, including suspensions, starting with the first offense.

2. Coaches are expected to teach playing within the rules. Failure to do so will subject both the coach and the employing club to discipline.

3. Game officials have been directed to emphasize protecting players from illegal and dangerous hits, and particularly from hits to the head and neck. In appropriate cases, they have the authority to eject players from a game.

ROGER GOODELL
Commissioner

Dunta Robinson Injury Update: Robinson 'Not Participating In Practice'

Fox 5’s Buck Lanford reports from the Branch on Falcons CB Dunta Robinson’s activities:

Robinson’s status continues to keep pace with Eagles WR DeSean Jackson’s, as both players have been diagnosed with concussions and held out of live practice action today.

Robinson will need a doctor’s clearance to play vs. the Bengals.

Both are becoming more and more doubtful for Sunday. Not quite Doubtful, mind you, but doubtful.

Dunta Robinson Injury: Robinson: "I Am Not A Dirty Player"

After the $50,000 fine for his hit on Eagles' wide receiver, DeSean Jackson, Dunta Robinson was not happy with the NFL's ruling and will appeal the fine.

From USA Today:

"I am disappointed by the NFL's ruling. I recognize the goal is to protect all players from the Pee Wee level on up. However, this was a bang-bang hit situation where I did not lead with my helmet, and therefore I will appeal. Although it was a violent hit, my hit did not violate the NFL's rules, and I was playing the game the way I always have. I am not a dirty player and have never been characterized as one."

Jason Kirk has been all over this story and the poll at USA Today agrees with his assertion that the hit was not a dirty play.

DeSean Jackson Injury Update: Not Cleared To Practice, Likely Out Vs. Titans After Dunta Robinson Hit

Eagles coach Andy Reid previously called WR DeSean Jackson a longshot to play this Sunday, and it’s starting to look like he was right.

The injuries suffered by Jackson and Falcons CB Dunta Robinson appear to be similar, with Robinson also awaiting word on whether he can play after suffering a concussion, so this may be foresight into Robinson’s playing status vs. the Bengals as well.

Dunta Robinson Appealing $50,000 Fine For Hitting DeSean Jackson

Dunta Robinson is right — he didn’t hit DeSean Jackson helmet-to-helmet. But that’s not the rule the NFL is quoting.

The league fined Robinson $50,000 for hitting a defenseless player in his upper chest instead of in his midsection. My qualm is with the designation of Jackson as an entirely defenseless player, as he had begun progressing the ball down the field, even if only for a split second and not quite long enough to establish possession.

Not that the NFL cares what qualms Robinson or you or I have here or in any other circumstance.

Do NFL appeals ever work? Somebody look that up for us. For now, let’s assume it’s the equivalent of putting your narrow, bone-compacting church shoes on your wide feet because an adult told you to, but doing it really, really slowly.

Dunta Robinson Fined $50,000 For DeSean Jackson Hit; No Suspension?

Absurd, and more of a PR thing than a punishment, since Robinson didn’t do anything beyond his job.

But at least he’s apparently not being suspended, unless those are being announced in a separate batch. ESPN originally reported suspensions would be handed out “by Wednesday.” And, as you may have noted, it’s not yet Wednesday.

Hopefully the only matter preventing Robinson from playing Sunday is his medical status. Last we heard, he’ll need a doctor’s OK to play against the Bengals.

Dunta Robinson Update: NFL VP Clarifies Suspension Warning, 'Defenseless Player' Definition

NFL executive vice president Ray Anderson was interviewed Tuesday on Mike & MIke in the Morning. Anderson was asked to elaborate on the league's plans to suspend violent offenders:

Anderson cited Rule 12, Section 2, Article 8 of the rule book, which addresses hits to the head or neck. He said that if a player initiates contact on a defenseless player with his forearm, shoulder, or helmet, he will be in violation of existing rules, and the NFL's new approach will be to exact punishment in each and every one of these incidents. First-time offenders, he said, will not be exempt.

Anderson made a point to define the "defenseless player" -- for example, he said, a player in pursuit of the ball is a defenseless player, but a runner in possession of the ball is not. Mike Golic asked Anderson whether such hits to a runner in possession of the ball are "fair game," which Anderson did not deny.

By that definition of defenseless player, DeSean Jackson was not defenseless when he was struck by Dunta Robinson. Jackson wasn't entirely in possession of the ball, but he was much, much closer to being a ballcarrier than he was to being a "player in pursuit of the ball." He had both hands securely on the ball, had taken a step since catching it, and was in the process of taking another.

Watch the video again -- Jackson has already tucked the ball away and looked upfield by the time Robinson arrives. The fact that it's a gray area, let alone the closer-to-acceptable side of that gray area, means Robinson should not be suspended.

The point of impact appears to be more in the shoulder and chest area than in Jackson's neck, though buckling did cause the two players' helmets to touch as well.

Dunta Robinson Update: NFL To Begin Suspending First-Time 'Head Shot' Offenders? Leave Dunta Alone

Adam Schefter reports here:

And here’s Chris Mortensen:

The NFL will announce by Wednesday that, effective this weekend, even first-time offenders face suspension for "devastating hits" and "head shots," according to Ray Anderson, the league’s executive vice president of football operations.

Dunta Robinson’s hit on DeSean Jackson was the most public example of a "devastating hit" from last weekend, with a star player and another starter both twitching on the ground for several heavy moments, but more malicious violence and actual head-hunting happens every week. It should’ve been fixed already — and Robinson’s hit wasn’t an example of what needs fixing. The NFL has courted bad PR by waiting for public outrage to step-in-and-do-something (Hipster Runoff single quotes?). It would be absurd to use Robinson as the scapegoat here. Especially with James Harrison actually crowing about handing out concussions.

Robinson’s hit on Jackson was a nearly textbook hit with a very unfortunate result. He should’ve led with his facemask instead of his helmet, but that wouldn’t have prevented Jackson from being hurt. Robinson was attempting to dislodge the ball as Jackson caught it, turned, and was halfway into his second step. No, Jackson wasn’t defenseless. If that’s defenseless, then receivers need to be granted fair-catch zones within which no contact can be initiated by a defender.

Robinson’s point of impact wasn’t Jackson head or facemask. It’s clear he was trying to put a helmet on the ball, as each of his coaches from middle school on up has instructed him.

And if Robinson’s tackle can be considered a launch (the rule in question forbids "launching"), then nearly every NFL play should be showered in laundry. Nobody form tackles anymore, as any elderly bro on a porch will remind you for an hour if you’d like. The referees simply saw something horrible happen and felt compelled to do something about it, as is the nature of any decent authority figure. The penalty wasn’t warranted, but it’s understandable. A suspension, however? Nonsense.

Should Dunta Robinson Be Suspended For 'Dirty Hit' On DeSean Jackson? Here's A State-By-State Poll

Dunta Robinson's explosive shot to DeSean Jackson's chest, coupled with James Harrison's beheadings of Joshua Cribbs and former Bulldog Mohamed Massaquoi, has re-invigorated the national debate on what to do about helmet-to-hemlet hits in the NFL.

Was Robinson's hit a dirty hit?

ESPN's SportsNation has opened the floor, and America has spoken:

Let's peel back some regional bias here.

• Obviously Pennsylvania's going to go red, and Georgia's going to go green. Duh.
• DeSean Jackson is from California and played college football at Cal, which may explain some of that west-coast redness, though Cali itself is green since Raiders fans live there and yearn for violence at all times. I guess.
• Texas, New York, and Virginia/Maryland house Philly's three division rivals. They're not siding with the Eagles on anything, though D.C. itself does.
• Texas is also green because Houston Texans fans hate Robinson, and the longer he goes unsuspended, the less chance he'll wind up back in their state.
• Robinson played his college ball at South Carolina. All SEC states are green except Kentucky, which is pretty close to Pennsylvania, and Arkansas, the only anti-Dunta state besides Maine and Wisconsin that's not touching another red state.
• Arkansas? Petrino. Not a lot of Falcons fans in Arkansas. I can link to message board melees if you really want.

So looking at just the Midwest, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain states, what do we see here?

Dunta Robinson Injury Update: Concussion, Must Get Doctor's Clearance To Play Vs. Bengals

Reports have suggested Robinson feels OK, though football players always seem to think they feel OK.

Robinson was injured when his helmet struck Eagles WR DeSean Jackson's shoulder and neck area during Sunday's game.

DeSean Jackson Injury Update: 'Severe Concussion,' Not Likely To Play Against Tennessee Titans

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson has a severe concussion and some memory loss after Falcons CB Dunta Robinson’s hit Sunday, according to Andy Reid.

“It’s not like amnesia set in,” Reid said. “He remembered his touchdowns and all the things that happened.”

Jackson also has soreness around his shoulders and neck. Reid doesn’t foresee Jackson playing next week against the Tennessee Titans.

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[VIDEO] Dunta Robinson's Hit On DeSean Jackson

Dunta Robinson flattened Eagles WR DeSean Jackson with a helmet to the shoulder after QB Kevin Kolb lofted a desperation pass over the middle. Robinson was flagged for hitting a defenseless player. Both players laid on the ground for a moment before leaving the game. The two checked on each other before leaving the field.

Dunta Robinson Injury: Head Injury, His Return Is Questionable

The major concern is not his availability for this game but rather what this means going forward for a Falcons’ secondary that had been playing terrific with the free agent acquisition, Robinson.

Atlanta Falcons' Cornerback Dunta Robinson Injured Against Philadelphia Eagles

After a vicious collision with Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver, DeSean Jackson, Dunta Robinson needed to be helped off the field in the second quarter.