Scrap helmets and pads, improve safety and technique

AndyG said
Anyone saying that has either an extremely limited understanding of, or more likely has never even watched, one game or the other - if not both.

The forward pass alone makes the games utterly different tactically from either code of rugby (indeed, that's why it's there in the first place), and the four downs limit makes football tactically very different from rugby union, but very similar to rugby league. It's likely that anyone saying such a thing is unlikely even to be aware that there are two different codes of rugby.

Anyone who doesn't see the differences other than the body armour might as well watch the brawls in the alley behind the bar after chucking out time. Or WWE :mwink:

Yeah, except for the forward pass they are exactly the same...

Look, you may have a point about the line of scrimmage play, and there are a lot of repetitive hits there that could result in mild concussions. But the guys running at top speed and colliding with defensive players is what is a 'big hit' that can result in very bad injuries, concussions, neck and spine injuries etc. And you won't change that unless as I said you slow down the game. Limit passing and scoring. Which the NFL is NOT going to do, quite the opposite.