Matt Forte Calls Proposed Rule Change "Absurd"

The NFL's competition committee is at it again, looking to change rules in the game of football in the name of safety. Not that safety isn't paramount for these players or anything.

Anyway, one of the proposed rules this year is a rule against players lowering their heads into contact.

"This is pure and simple a player safety rule," McKay said. "The time has come we need to address the situation. You can't duck your head and deliver a forcible blow with your helmet."

"We're looking for the obvious fouls on this one. We realize this is a major change for players and coaches."

Seems fair enough - the concern is that offensive players were lowering their heads into intentional contact; ergo, continue to prevent the head from being a target, as well as to prevent offensive players from making themselves more prone to injury.

The rule's got one offensive player steamed pretty good - Matt Forte. The running back took to Twitter to voice his displeasure.

"The proposed rule change for running backs might be the most absurd suggestion of a rule change I've ever heard of," Forte wrote. "In order to lower ur shoulder u obviously have to lower ur head. It's a way of protecting ur self from a tackler and a way to break tackles."

"U can't change the instinctive nature of running the football."

One problem, Matt - ideally, that's not your head. It's called your shoulder. Yes, you're lowering your head, but you don't have to stick it out.

That being said, I'm not sure Forte has to worry about the instinctive nature of running the ball being lost in the sands of time. The concern isn't players lowering their heads to power through for yardage - it's lowering the head and leading with it instead of with the shoulder, putting the player at risk of a head injury.

I don't have a problem with the attempt to reduce head contact, and the proposed rule would put the onus on both sides (offense and defense) to avoid using the head or leading with the head.

What do you guys think? Does Forte have a legitimate gripe worrying about how to carry the ball? How do you think the proposed rule would be implemented? Will this rule be implemented?