The way things are going with the league's efforts to limit the violence, Baltimore Ravens strong safety Bernard Pollard thinks the league won't be around in the future. From a story posted on NFL.com, Pollard thinks the league will no longer exist in 20-30 years.
"I just truly believe, another 20, 30 years - - I don't even think football will even be in existence anymore," Pollard told KILT-AM in Houston, via CBSSports.com. "...We all know what this game is about. We know and understand it's a violent sport."
Pollard has earned a reputation around the league as a fearsome hitter. Although he hits hard, he is no considered a head-hunter, nor a cheap-shot artist. As mentioned in the article, the New England Patriots consider him a bad luck charm, having knocked out Tom Brady, Wes Welker and most recently Rob Gronkowski in the AFC Championship Game.
On one hand, the league is trying to constantly implement new rules to limit the violence in the game, while on the other hand showing highlight reels of huge hits by last month's rookie draft class. Pollard is apparently not a huge fan of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, calling him hypocritical in the way he publicly tries to curtail the violence yet allows the league to promote itself with those highlight reels of big hits.
Bernard goes on to call out the Commish in his claim that he would not take more than $1 dollar in salary during last year's NFL Lockout. One thing seems to be sure in Pollard's mind, and that is he has no intention of seeing his son play the game that he himself grew up playing. Why? It's too violent.
(NOTE: Click on the link above to see the "State of the Franchise" on the Baltimore Ravens)