New NFL Study on Knee Hits Takes League One Step Closer to Touch Football

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist (@michaelmoraitis)

After a devastating knee injury that knocked Miami Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller out for the season, the NFL is now looking at knee hits on defenseless players while contemplating more rule changes.

According to the Associated Press per ESPN.com, the NFL will take a closer look at low hits during the 2013 season after Keller's gruesome injury at the hands of Houston Texans rookie, D.J. Swearinger.

If this continues to be a problem or the league even perceives it to be a problem, players may have one less spot to aim for when tackling.

In reality, the NFL has made it so difficult for players to tackle up high that really there are few options left besides tackling low. So, in theory, the NFL can blame itself for a potential rash of knee injuries moving forward.

It's a nice thought that the NFL wants to protect its players, but the league must realize that this is one of the most violent sports on the planet. Continuously taking that out of the equation will not only hurt the game, it will destroy it.

Commissioner Roger Goodell and company simply can't take every precaution to protect players. Injuries are apart of the game and will happen no matter how many rules are put in place.

What's next? Are all NFL players going to wrap themselves in styrofoam for better protection? Or perhaps two-hand touch or flag football is the way to go in order to avoid injuries?

There is simply no concrete way to get this done and it is inevitable that the league will have to back off this one.

If the NFL really wants to protect its players' knees, the smart idea would be to open up the acceptable area to hit for defensive players in order to deter players from focusing on just low hits for fear they may be suspended otherwise.

The phrase less is more certainly holds true here.

Goodell must back away from this one regardless of the outcry from some players. The risk of injury is inherent to each and every player in the NFL the moment they start playing the sport, so if it's such a big problem, don't play the game anymore.

It's really that simple.