Earlier this year, the NFL opted to ban the infamous “Oklahoma drill” after research had shown that cutting these head on head drills should help reduce the rate of concussions and head injuries sustained in the sport.
Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph is in favor of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell outlawing the drill.
“I just don’t see how that translates into football,” Joseph said Tuesday at an NFL Academy tryout in Tottenham’s new stadium. “If I’ve got the ball, I’m trying to defend you, I’m trying to make you miss me, and not really just sit there and let you ram me ten yards back head on head.”
Joseph’s quick comments about the drill line up with what Goodell had to say about the drill when he addressed reporters at a NFL owners meeting in May.
“We saw a certain area at the beginning of training camp where we felt could make greater improvement,” said Goodell. “And I think removing some of these drills across all 32 teams is the right way to do that. We also believe by prohibiting some of these drills, that will happen at the college and high school and youth football levels, which we believe should happen.”
It is a rare occurrence that the commissioner and the players see eye to eye on an issue. However, if the league truly is about achieving high levels of player safety, then that cannot just be on game days. It has to be in practices as well, especially in training camp, when pads are finally donned and coaches can evaluate what talent they have.
Joseph was in London to promote the NFL on an international stage. Joseph and the Texans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars Nov. 3 as part of the NFL International Series, which has been played in London every season since 2007.
