Each of the 32 teams in the NFL managed to whittle the size of their rosters to 53 players over the weekends. It's only natural to think that each of those players would be in uniform and ready to play some football in one of the games this Thursday, Sunday, and Monday. One of the more ridiculous rules on the NFL books is the one that limits the number of players active for each game to 46. Every single game, each of the teams have to sit seven players that supposedly made the roster. Teams are debating whether, as part of the 46, there will be four or five receivers, seven or eight offensive linemen, five or six cornerbacks, etc. Going heavy in one position means going light in another. If a team has 53 players, they should be able to play 53 players. The seven players that don't dress for the games aren't much different than the ten players on the practice squad. They practice all week with the team and sit out the games. It's a stupid rule.
The reason behind the rule is injury equality. The NFL decision-makers consider it unfair if a team enters a game at an immediate disadvantage if they are unable to field a full compliment of players due to injury. Supposedly it would be unfair for one team to have all of their 53 players ready to go and the other team has some number less than 53. So, these decision-makers just take seven players from each team and call it all fair. Every NFL team deals with injuries. All teams have players missing from games so it all evens out. Coaches have enough things to worry about without having to pick out seven players that won't be playing each week.
The seven players tapped to sit out each week still get paid. That's some consolation but it's tough to feel part of a team when you're not allowed to play with the team.
No comments:
Post a Comment