Jammer opposes new NFL policy

by Ryan Ebert

San Diego Chargers' CB Quentin Jammer does not like the new policy the NFL has brought up that all players are required to wear leg padding.

"There'll probably be a lot of fines in 2013," Jammer said about the year that the rule is expected to go into effect. "A lot of guys won't wear them."

He clearly stated "No," when a newspaper asked him if he is going to wear the leg padding.

On Tuesday league owners voted to have all players be required to wear hip, thigh, knee pads during games this next year. Though the NFLPA is against it.

"It's dumb," Jammer, an 11-year veteran, said. "Ridiculous to me. I don't think anybody should be required to wear (them). I don't get hit, so I don't need to worry about pads. Offensive players should wear them because we hit them, but I don't think it should be mandatory."

Jarrett Johnson, a LB for the Chargers, said that the change was insincere and that it won't improve player safety.

"The repetitive amount of hits we take, day in and day out -- this, to me, is a PR stunt. ... If you get hit in the legs, you're doing something wrong," Johnson said. "You're either getting cut or standing there. Usually, when guys are aggressive and they're hitting back, the legs aren't usually getting hit."

Quite a few players are against wearing pads because they believe that they play faster without them on. Roger Goodell said that NBA players now wear more padding below the hip than do NFL players. Mike Parker ,Nike's CEO, is the one who gave Goodell this piece if information.

"You play this game because you want to play this game, and the risks you take are the risks you take," Jammer told the newspaper. "If you don't want to wear hip pads, knee pads or thigh pads, you shouldn't have to. It should be a choice."

Making it required for players to wear leg padding is, showing that every level of football require the pads but the NFL.