The NFL has reported a mixed bag of injury data for the 2023 season, with a significant reduction in lower extremity injuries, resulting in 700 fewer missed player games compared to the previous year, but a slight increase in concussions. The decrease in lower extremity injuries is attributed to a 29% drop in training camp strains and a 50% reduction in recurrent strains, which officials believe is due to the acclimation period during camp. The league also plans to address the safety of kickoffs, as concussions dropped from 20 to 8 due to fewer returns, with only 22 percent of kickoffs being returned. However, when returns occurred, concussions were still an issue. The NFL is considering changes to the kickoff rules and is looking into banning the hip drop tackle, which is 20-25 percent more likely to cause injury. The season saw 218 concussions diagnosed in preseason and regular season practices and games, with 52 ACL tears. The NFLPA has criticized the NFL's conclusion that injury rates on artificial and natural playing surfaces were virtually identical as a 'half truth.' The league's efforts to prioritize player safety, including the use of Guardian Caps during practices, appear to be having a positive impact, but there is still a focus on further reducing head injuries.
The NFL has been analyzing the XFL kickoff model and will consider it this offseason, after a season in which league officials attributed a sharp drop in concussions suffered on kickoffs mostly to a lack of returns under a temporary rule change. https://t.co/BE7tUwRFhh
“We knew we were going to need a big help from them from the beginning of the year. Seeing the guys develop since they first came in in the summer to what they’re doing for us now, watching their improvement, has been great for us.” https://t.co/A66MQ8ZG42
NFL reports lower-body injuries down, concussions up in 2023 season ⤵️ https://t.co/TWzuu1ouJi
In 2023, the NFL saw a dramatic increase in overall player availability. The number of concussions, however, slightly increased, which is reflective of struggles to reduce head injuries. More from @tashanreed on the league's end-of-season injury data ⤵️ https://t.co/atLF3ODFfd
All the injury data from 2023, with a lot of good news and a focus on the kickoff 👇👇👇 https://t.co/LV165MN406
Joint NFL/NFLPA committee finds similar injury rates on grass and turf fields in 2023. https://t.co/KM2IGk4RhB
Went back to look at notes: there were 219 concussions diagnosed in the 2023 season (preseason and regular season games and practices).
Bottom line: good news on lower extremity injuries, and kickoffs are going to be a big topic of conversation this spring. More from the league's injury data here....https://t.co/t3x6yjmjEy
NFL does a lot of concussion tests: 422 performed in the 2023 season. While concussion number has come down off the high of 281 from a few years ago, they want it to drop further. Guardian Caps during practices produced up to 50% drop in concussions for position groups.
NFL will also focus on writing a rule that will ban the hip drop tackle. 20-25 percent more likely to cause injury with hip drop tackles than a typical tackle.
Jeff Miller, NFL EVP overseeing health and safety says the NFL wants more returns in the game because it's an exciting play, but they have to come up with a rule that makes them safer. Competition Comm. is going to spend lots of time on this.
.@judybattista reports on how the NFL's continued effort to prioritize player safety has led to promising injury data from the 2023 NFL season, specifically when it comes to lower extremity injuries https://t.co/htS3vgjnXu https://t.co/BzVMPziHwd
Big off-season focus is going to be on changing the kickoff. Concussions dropped from 20 to 8 this season, but that's because the rule change meant many fewer returns. Only 22 percent of KOs were returned. When there were returns, there were concussions.
218 concussions were diagnosed in preseason and regular season practices and games (there were 213 last year). 52 ACL tears. NFL says no data indicates a higher rate of injury on Thursday night games, international games or week 18 games.
NEWS: The NFL’s rate of non-contact lower-extremity injuries on artificial and natural playing surfaces were virtually identical in 2023 for the 2nd time in 3 years, league officials said. NFLPA calls conclusion a “half truth.” Full story soon.
New season-end NFL injury data: 700 fewer missed player games in 2023 than 2022, thanks to 4 year low in lower extremity strains. They dropped 29% in training camp, led to 50% drop in recurrent strains. NFL officials believe acclimation period during camp is helping.
Gutekunst said free agency and the draft should provide good options to better the safety position. He said they will need to address it because their numbers aren't great there and it's an important position.
Gutekunst said he's expecting 11 total draft picks this year (including compensatory) and said it gives him flexibility to move around the draft and also to dangle picks for veteran players if that comes up. Said it also helps the cap to have the option to keep adding rookies.
Gutekunst put the forward the warning that all the first-year players who did so well as rookies have to prove themselves again next year and will be expected to continue to grow, especially with the competition on the roster that is expected.
Gutekunst said there will be lots of discussions about how they're going to move forward on defense, but he said he didn't see a lot of changes in how they scout players on that side of the ball. Said he was really excited about what Jeff Hafley will bring to the defense.