^^
No problem. I was just replying to what you said,"Hockey is totally different, the head injuries come from heads hitting the ice and sticks to the head" with stats sourced from the NHL's study, blog or not.
The NFL has already changed its kickoff rules to protect players from concussions.
They now kickoff from the 35yd line instead of the 30yd line so touchbacks or kicks thru the endzone are commonplace.
Also punts are rarely returned in the NFL.
This could affect the need for a kick return specialist, which IMHO will affect Chris Williams ability to make an impact on an NFL team.
There really is no need to waste a roster spot on a kick return specialist in the NFL anymore and a player of Chris Williams size would be hard pressed to make a team as a receiver only.
Chris William never returned kicks in the CFL, he is a punt returner. That’s one reason why CW is NOT returning kicks, he’s smaller and they don’t want him risking injury.
If the NFL was looking at a CFL sized field with 2 less players, what about the CFL looking at having 2 less players on the field?
It would not only cut down on injuries but the game would be more wide open. Less players to cover the same area.
What position would a player of CW’s stature be trying out for in the NFL then?
Because of the new NFL kickoff rules you don’t even need a return man anymore and punts are non eventful unless the guy drops the ball.
I don’t think he’d mind getting paid league minimum to field fair catches, and return the odd punt.
Thigpen is returning punts in the NFL and he seldom calls for a fair catch. He ran back 2 for TDs last season with the Dolphins. There is a tendency for ex-CFLers in the NFL to run them back every time.
In 2012, Thigpen had 1 TD from a punt return and 1 TD from a kickoff return.
38 kick off returns, 26 attempted punt returns, 6 fair catches.
That punt return for the TD was in his first game.
He really had a flair about him!
I daresay he even had more flair than the minimum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5YClmS3umkHe returned 38 kick off returns? so much for the criticism that all kick offs in the NFL go through the end zone!!
Only 6 out of 32 punts were fair catches, I bet that is one of the lowest percentages in the league.
Playing in the CFL made him into a tougher player probably and didn't feel the need to wimp out as much with fair catching the pigskin. It should be a prerequisite for all NFL punt returners to spend some time in the CFL. 
He played all 16 games, so that’s just over 2 kickoff reuns per game. he was tied for 7th for most kick returns in 2012
Kick Returns
- David Wilson · NYG 57
- Darius Reynaud · TEN 53
- Brandon Boykin · PHI 45
- Josh Cribbs · CLE 43
- Joe McKnight · NYJ 39
Chris Rainey · PIT 39 - Randall Cobb · GNB 38
Jacoby Jones*+ · BAL 38
Marcus Thigpen · MIA 38 - Brandon Tate · CIN 32
Only 6 out of 32 punts were fair catches, I bet that is one of the lowest percentages in the league.He did not crack the top 10 number of punt returns in 2012
Punt Returns
- Patrick Peterson* · ARI 51
- Trindon Holliday · 2TM 48
- Leon Washington* · SEA 41
- Devin Hester · CHI 40
- Josh Cribbs · CLE 38
- Jacoby Jones*+ · BAL 37
- Javier Arenas · KAN 34
- Stefan Logan · DET 33
- Marcus Sherels · MIN 32
Ted Ginn Jr. · SFO 32
The NFL changed the Kickoff rules to Kickoffs from the 30yd. line to the 35yd line to have more touchbacks than runbacks to reduce injuries on kickoffs.
I see from Captains very informative numbers that the change has had little effect.
But now I read this
They will also review this season’s injury data. The N.F.L. has long said that kickoffs have the highest rate of injury of any play. When the N.F.L. moved the kickoff line from the 30 to the 35 before the 2011 season, the percentage of touchbacks leapt from 16.4 percent to 43.5 percent, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And, as intended, the injury rate fell accordingly. According to N.F.L. figures, there were 40 percent fewer concussions on kickoffs in 2011 than there had been in 2010. With the percentage of kickoffs resulting in touchbacks increasing this season — it stands at 45.2 percent through Week 14 — the league will hope that injuries have dropped again.
[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/sports/football/tradition-vs-player-safety-in-nfl-kickoff-debate.html?_r=0]http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/sport ... .html?_r=0[/url]So should the CFL follow suit? if the touch back dramatically cuts down on injuries, then maybe the CFL should look at shortening the field the same as the NFL. Leave the width as it is and cut the number of players on the field by 2 the same as the NFL?
Personally I enjoy watching kickoffs returned. If the league is all about excitement, then definitely keep things as it is unless player safety on kickoffs is an issue the players association and league have agreed need to be enhanced in all aspects, including kickoffs. I find the NFL game with what I perceive are less kickoff returns as lacking excitement compared with the CFL kickoff game.
55% of kickoffs are still returned, it can be a very exciting play and can definitely change the outcome of the game.
I find in the CFL that way too many flags are tossed on punts and kickoffs for no yards or illegal blocks.
So while the plays can be exciting(Chris Williams), they can be very frustrating when you see a flag thrown most of the time.
Although they do have to make it somewhat safe. The key or maybe trick is the better way of saying this, is to make it safe enough while still allowing tackling of course and blocking but not making kick returns a joke where players are running them back for td's or long runs 90 percent of the time. Then you have a type of basketball game in effect.