Reducing concussion-related injuries is one of NFL's main priorities. But players are allegedly more concerned about injuring the lower part of their body, Yahoo Sports reported.
When asked what body part they were most concerned about injuring in a game, only 24 percent said they were worried about head injuries. Twenty six percent said none at all in a poll of 293 players from 20 NFL teams.
Nevertheless, 46 percent of players surveyed by USA TODAY Sports said they were worried about knee injuries or other parts of their legs.
A major hit to the leg is seen as more career-threatening than a concussion by most players. While a concussion only puts a player out for a game, a leg injury could negatively impact a player's earning potential, according to Yahoo Sports.
The response is not surprising when you consider the substantial leg injuries sustained by New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, Broncos linebacker Von Miller and Green Bay receiver Randall Cobb this season.
According to Yahoo Sports, players such as former Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best, who saw his career cut short after several head injuries, are not as prevalent.
"For me, it's the knee," Bears running back Michael Bush told USA TODAY Sports. "That's the one that gets me, not the head or anything. A head injury? Don't get me wrong, that's bad. No one wants a concussion. But, here and now, a knee injury can be career-ending."
In addition, the majority of players do not believe NFL rule changes on hits to the helmet have made the game safer.
Fifty-three percent of players polled said safety was about the same, 39 percent believed the game was safer, while eight percent view their sport as less safe, Yahoo Sports reported.
"You saw what happened to Gronkowski," Browns guard Shawn Lauvao told USA TODAY Sports. "That's because of a rule change. The way it was before, he would have just got hit in the head. He would have been there for the next play. It's a Catch-22. I know they're trying to make it safer, but some rules changes just take away from the game."
Through the preseason and first 13 weeks of the schedule, the NFL said there were 30 ACL injuries in games, according to the Associated Press.
"Conversely, there were 39 similar injuries in 2012, 35 in 2011, 37 in 2010, and 31 in 2009," Yahoo Sports reported. "Nevertheless, there was an increase in medial collateral ligament injuries (MCL), from 74 in 2012 to 89 in games through 13 weeks. However, there were 106 MCL injuries in 2011, 89 in 2010 and 103 in 2009."
Reducing head injuries, however, will remain the NFL's biggest concern as long as former players continue to show signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy CTE, which many believe is the result of constant blows to the head from football, Yahoo Sports reported.
