Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Tuesday 17 april 2018
NFL to prohibit use of certain helmets for 1st time

By BARRY WILNER 789002) and Air XP Pro concussions were up in the
AP Pro Football Writer (model 789102); and Rid- NFL in 2017 to 291.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL dell VSR-4 (model R41133). Laboratory testing showed
for the first time is prohibit- About 200 players used that the VICIS Zero 1 mod-
ing certain helmets from those helmets last season. els of 2017 and 2018 rate
being worn by players. "Over the last few years best for player safety. A
In notifying the 32 teams we've seen some dynamic chart specifying top-to-
Monday, the league has changes in the helmet in- bottom rankings for the 34
sought to have players stop dustry, both from new in- helmets is posted at every
using 10 helmet varieties. novators as well as new team's training facility.
Some, particularly those helmets and models from "We've begun to see that
manufactured by Rawlings, incumbent companies," over the last couple of
no longer are being made said Jeff Miller, the NFL's se- years players moving from
and don't have support nior vice president of health helmets that rank in the
from the company. Others and safety policy. poorly performing areas to
were found to be inferior to "There are a number of hel- those that are ranging clos-
many of the 34 helmets the mets for players to move to, er to the top-performing
NFL and the players' union from those that rank poorly helmets," Miller said.
examined. in performing to the ones in The 2018 Zero1 was the only
Previously, NFL players the higher ranking. new helmet model tested
could choose any helmet "The purpose of the con- this year.
as long as it passed certifi- tinuation to rank helmets "We're demonstrating our
cation standards. Six of the and the joint decision with commitment by setting the In this Sept. 11, 2017, file photo, a VICIS Zero1 helmet is dis-
substandard helmets are the players' association pace for innovation and played in New York.
prohibited immediately, to prohibit is to increase safety," said Dave Marver, Associated Press
while the other four may be that movement into bet- CEO of VICIS, which has
worn by players who used ter performing helmets. We been making helmets for on 400 high schools across a year ago to $950 by the
them in 2017 but not by are encouraged this is an only four years. Marver es- the country who have or- end of last season — a drop
new players. important step for better timated 70 players were dered the helmet, and we enabled by higher volumes
The 10 helmets are Rawl- player safety." using the Zero1 by the end expect 50-plus colleges and lower manufacturing
ings' Impulse and Impulse+, A survey of players re- of the 2017 season, and he to have them," Marver costs — and a reduction
Quantum and Tachyon; SG vealed at least 98 percent expects "200 or more" to be added. "Last year we had in weight by a half-pound
Varsity and SG 2.0; Schutt used one or more of the in them before the upcom- about 20." added to the Zero1's popu-
Vengeance Z10 (model 34 helmet models tested. ing season kicks off. Marver believes a reduced larity.
204100), Air XP (model Data also showed that "We already have players helmet price from $1,500 q

Longtime Steelers linebacker James Harrison retires again

PITTSBURGH (AP) — James off games for the Patriots, including teammates in his
Harrison is taking another including their Super Bowl draining (and well-docu-
shot at retirement, and this loss to Philadelphia. mented) offseason work-
time it's likely to stick for the This is the second time Har- out regiments in Arizona.
longtime Pittsburgh Steelers rison has called it quits. He At a position where few last
linebacker. retired briefly in Septem- into their mid-30s, Harrison
The five-time Pro Bowler, ber 2014 only to be lured continued to thrive. He fin-
two-time All Pro and 2008 back to the Steelers. He re- ished among the top three
NFL Defensive Player of the mained productive into his on the team in sacks every
Year announced on Ins- late 30s, registering at least year from 2014-16, and his
tagram early Monday he five sacks from 2014-16. Not pressure forced a hold by
is stepping away from the bad for a player who went Kansas City left tackle Eric
game following a 15-year undrafted after graduating Fisher that negated the ty-
career that saw him go from Kent State and spent ing two-point conversion by
from undrafted free agent the early portion of his ca- the Chiefs in the divisional
to one of the most feared reer primarily on special This is a 2017 file photo showing James Harrison of the Pittsburgh round of the 2016 playoffs.
players in the league. teams. Steelers NFL football team. Harrison signed a two-
Harrison, 39, posted a col- Harrison compensated for Associated Press year deal last spring that
lage of pictures of his two his relative lack of height would have kept him in
sons and noted he's "missed — he's listed at 6-feet tall one of the most iconic in Harrison twice left the Steel- Pittsburgh through his 40th
way too much for way too — with remarkable strength NFL history. ers. He signed a deal with birthday. He played spar-
long ... and I'm done." and a relentlessness that Harrison's physical play at Cincinnati in the spring of ingly for much of 2017 and
Harrison played nearly made him one of the best times ran him into trouble 2013 but played only spar- the Steelers granted him his
his entire career with the edge rushers in the league with the league office. He ingly, leading him to retire release in December. The
Steelers, collecting 80.5 of and a vital part of a team was fined four times during in the fall of 2014. It lasted Patriots quickly scooped
his 84.5 career sacks while that reached the Super the 2010 season alone for all of 18 days. He returned him up. He had two sacks
wearing black and gold, a Bowl three times from 2005- what the NFL considered to Pittsburgh after injuries in his debut with New Eng-
franchise record. He spent 10, winning it twice. illegal or unnecessary hits. decimated the team's land in the 2017 regular-
the 2013 season in Cincin- His 100-yard interception Harrison lashed out at com- linebacker group and in season finale and added
nati and signed with New return for a touchdown on missioner Roger Goodell, his second act became seven more tackles in the
England late last season, the final play of the first half calling him "a crook" in a a valuable leader on the playoffs.
appearing in all three play- of the 2009 Super Bowl is 2011 magazine article. field and elsewhere, often q