Helmet-to-Helmet Hits Draw Ire of NFL's Former VP of Officiating

Filed under: Eagles, Lions, NFL Injuries

Sunday was a particularly brutal day in the NFL, with a seemingly endless string of players exiting games due to injuries. A few of those injuries were of the serious variety, including a handful of scary helmet-to-helmet hits resulting in concussions. Despite the league's attempt to crack down on dangerous plays, helmet-to-helmet contact continues to be prevalent -- and it's an issue that needs to be dealt with, according to ex-NFL vice president of officiating, Mike Pereira, now an analyst for FOX.

Pereira wrote on FOXSports.com that he was "really bothered by the number of helmet-to-helmet hits we saw in Week 6 and the subsequent concussions that were caused as a result of those hits. Some of them were legal, and some were unavoidable. But, plain and simple, they are cheap shots, and the league needs to deal with this immediately."

Arguably the most worrisome occurred in Detroit's loss to the Giants. While covering a kickoff for the Lions, linebacker Zack Follett collided head-on with New York's Jason Pierre-Paul. Follett stayed face-down on the field at New Meadowlands Stadium before medical personnel carefully flipped him onto his back, then slid him onto a backboard. Follett was taken to a local hospital to check for a cervical spine fracture -- the good news being that Follett was conscious and had full movement after the game.

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