No Puny Hits In Football. Urlacher Smash!!

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 20, 2010 6:40PM

The NFL made headlines this week, fining three players for flagrant hits, including a teeth-rattling shot by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi that knocked Masaquoi and cost Harrison $75,000. In the wake of increased concerns about concussions resulting from big hits on the field, NFL executive president of football operations said that the league will be enforcing the flagrant hit rule more as the season progresses.

This was news that many throughout the league weren't happy to hear, including Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. Taking time away from responding to media questions in monosyllables and grunts, Urlacher took the time to string together actual sentences to express his displeasure with the news.

"You know what we should do? We should just put flags on everybody. Let's make it the NFFL — the National Flag Football League. It's unbelievable.''

He also said the the league's increased enforcement of the flagrant hits rule was "bullshit."

Of the three players fined for flagrant hits this week, only Harrison's stands out as being overly excessive. Urlacher and other players noted that sometimes big, vicious hits are a part of the game (ask Jay Cutler). And, if the NFL wants to really send a message to people that they're serious about cracking down on headhunting and flagrant hits, maybe they shouldn't have been selling photos of Harrison's hit for up to $250 online until MIke Florio at Profootballtalk.com pointed it out.