In addition to handful of minor rules changes this season, officials will make sure that players buckle up their chinstraps before every play.
You've probably noticed players who don't always buckle up - Jeremy Shockey comes to mind, and he occasionally loses his helmet as a result - but the officials will make a player buckle up before they allow the ball to be snapped. In fact, if you look at the picture of Shockey below, you'll notice that his chinstrap is not buckled.
It's a good idea. With all the emphasis on avoiding concussions, players should take the simple step of buckling up to make sure their helmets remain in place. The league has found that players who leave their chinstraps open face a slightly increased injury risk.
Comments (3)
Imagine that, the NFL nittpicking again. First they stop end zone celebrations, then this. If they're concerned about injury, maybe the league should start taking care of retired players who have debilitating injuries.
I actually like this one, End Zone Buzz. It may seem like nitpicking, but if buckling up all four areas of the chinstrap can prevent a helmet from flying off in a collision, then why not? Just seems to make sense.
Looks like the Bills' Dockery was hit with a similar fine:
http://www.uniformviolation.com/ViolationDetails-NFL.php?vid=37