1 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: This is the OTP presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans. 2 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: Need great healthcare coverage with an affordable price tag by 3 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Farm Bureau Health Plans coach you through it. They've been 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: protecting Tennessee AND's for seventy five years. Special guest Doctor 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: Alan Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer since twenty seventeen. Welcome, 6 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. Tell me if I have this wrong. 7 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: Doctor Sills is a neurosurgeon and sports physician, a part 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he serves as Professor 9 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: of Neurological Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, and founder and 10 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: co director of Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center. I will plead 11 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: guilty to all those titles. That's right, that's great. You're 12 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: the busiest man in show business. I don't know about that, 13 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: but thanks for having Mike's great to sit down and chat. 14 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: All right, So you're in this busy time right now. 15 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: We're all about to crank up later in July. You 16 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: are already running. I want to ask you about what's 17 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: being done with the league and diversity towards diversifying sports medicine, 18 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: because it's a very exciting program. That you have this fall, 19 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: and it involves Maharry here in Nashville. Tell us about that, 20 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: doctor Sills. Yeah, it really does, Mike, and it's something 21 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: that we've made a priority. So diversity and inclusivity across 22 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: the league is a value in all of our operations, 23 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: but when we specifically look at it in sports medicine, 24 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: we know we've got a lot of work to do 25 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: and our sports medicine staffs are not as diverse as 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: we'd like them to be, whether we're talking about physicians, 27 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: athletic trainers or others. So we've worked together with the 28 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: NFL Physician Society, with the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society 29 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: and say what can we do to help address this? 30 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: And we're really focusing on what we call the pipeline, 31 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: which is the people who are coming in training. How 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: can we get more diverse candidates into that pipeline and 33 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: necked them with the opportunities in professional sports. So the 34 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: specific program that you referenced, we're very excited about. It's 35 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: launching this fall with eight of our clubs, one of 36 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 1: whom are the Titans. And what we've done is we've 37 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: partnered with the four HBCU Medical schools, one of which 38 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: is here in Nashville Maharry, and we've said we want 39 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: to identify students who are in their third or fourth 40 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: year of medical school who are interested in either going 41 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: into orthopedic sports medicine or primary care sports medicine, and 42 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: we'd like to take them and offer them a one 43 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: month rotation to come and embed themselves with the sports 44 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: medicine program at NFL teams. Completely embedded. This means orthopedic surgery, 45 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,399 Speaker 1: and athletic training, strength and conditioning, and behavioral health and nutrition, 46 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 1: all the parts they go into the modern care of 47 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: an athlete. And the goal there is really twofold. One 48 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: to expose them to those careers and what that looks 49 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: like and inspire them to pursue that. But secondly, to 50 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: connect them with mentors. We all know how important mentorship 51 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: is and so having someone who's been through that journey 52 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: can really help these students as they begin that process 53 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: and hopefully help them navigate that. So each of those 54 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: medical schools will be sending students, as I mentioned, to 55 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: eight NFL teams. Each team will host two students this year, 56 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: so sixteen students total. We hope to expand this to 57 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: all thirty two clubs next year. But we're really excited 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: about this as one way to start help addressing that 59 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: pipeline and improve the diversity of the candidate pool who 60 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: would be going into sports medicine for the future. And 61 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: what an opportunity for the Titans to partner with Maharry, 62 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: which is a very very special place in and of itself. 63 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: It absolutely is, and Maharry has been such a leader. 64 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: I mean, for example, going back to COVID, you know, 65 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: we couldn't get away I guess from talking about that completely, 66 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: but doctor James Hildreth, who's the president of Maharry, one 67 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: of the absolute international leaders on COVID. He was so 68 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: foundational and helping advise the league. He helped us a 69 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: lot with our educational efforts and partnered on a lot 70 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: of our communications, and so we've developed a great working relationship. 71 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:52,839 Speaker 1: And when we came back and said, you know, now 72 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: we really want to see what can we do, what 73 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: can the NFL do to help address this problem of 74 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: diversity in sports medicine, he was very enthusiastic and som 75 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: Harry's a great partner. This won't be the only program 76 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: we're doing together. We've got a lot of other ideas 77 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: about how we can inspire undergraduate students to go into 78 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: these careers. We're also looking to work with HBCU sports 79 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: medicine programs that at the undergraduate level and share with 80 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: them some of the things we're doing and learning in 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: the NFL that we think can make things healthier for 82 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: their athletes. So lots more work to be done, Mike, 83 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: but I'm really excited to see that we're committed to 84 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: this and then we're going to make this a priority 85 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: going forward. What makes sense about so much of what 86 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: the NFL has been doing recently in this space is 87 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: for any profession, one of the ways that you're able 88 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: to advance is if you know a guy. I mean, 89 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: it doesn't that can be also no ah, girl, But 90 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: to know somebody who you can pick up the phone 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: and call, or they think, hey, this person would be 92 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: a great candidate. It's about connections, and what you're talking 93 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: about is just furthering that into the area of the 94 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: medical field involving the NFL. It absolutely is the right 95 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: way to think about it. And then, as I mentioned that, 96 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: mentorship is so critical because you have so many different 97 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: points at which you need advice and direction about how 98 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: to position yourself to be the most effective candidate, because 99 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: these are really competitive positions. When you start talking about 100 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: applying for a residency to become an orthopedic sports physician 101 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: or a primary care sports position, far more applicants than 102 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: there are places. So how can we help people position 103 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: themselves to be the most successful candidate? And then, as 104 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: you said, once they finish that training, when someone's thinking 105 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: about a job, hey, yeah, I know so, and so 106 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to reach out to them or you know, 107 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: you may should reach out to this person because I 108 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: worked with them and they're a terrific person. It's all 109 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: about broadening our vision, broadening our horizon, and getting outside 110 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: of the small group that we might have seen in 111 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: the past. And did I hear you say the majority 112 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: of people who are going into the business of being 113 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: athletic trainers in this day and time are female. Yes, 114 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: there are more women going into athletic training there are men, 115 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: which we think is terrific and is a great step 116 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: forward and real change from a few years back. But 117 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: we still need to inspire more people, certainly people of color. 118 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: We were interested in going into all of these fields 119 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: and making kids aware that it's not just one career path. 120 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: You know, back in the not too distant past, you know, 121 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,559 Speaker 1: sports medicine was an orthopedic surgeon and maybe an athletic trainer, 122 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: and now sports medicine is so much more than that. 123 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: There's so many parts of it. I mentioned before, primary care, 124 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 1: sports medicine and rehab, physical therapy, strength and conditioning, equipment managers, 125 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: feel surface managers, behavioral health, nutrition. These are all things 126 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: we never even thought about ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. 127 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: So we want to inspire students and let them know 128 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: there are a lot of ways if you have a 129 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: passion and an interest in sports and a passion and 130 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 1: interest in science, there are a lot of ways you 131 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: can combine those two together. Doctor Sills, we're trying to 132 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,679 Speaker 1: get ahead of the curve a little bit talking about 133 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: what he's going to be a topic in training camp. 134 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: And people are going to see the guardian caps in 135 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: training camps, and that's something they may have seen in 136 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: high school and college, but they're going to see it 137 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: for the pros. Explain what a guardian cap is, please, 138 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: So a guardian cap is a saw padded shell that 139 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: adds on the top of the helmet. Think of it 140 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: as something you slide over the top of the helmet 141 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,799 Speaker 1: and it adds about a half inch of padding, foam 142 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: type padding to the surface of the helmet. And the 143 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: goal of that is simple. It absorbs force. So it's 144 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: like putting, if you will, a bumper on your car 145 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: and having that bumper crumple and absorb that force so 146 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: that the force doesn't gets transmitted into the car itself. 147 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: So it's reducing the force that goes to the helmet 148 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: and obviously secondarily to what's inside the helmet, which is 149 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: what we really care dearly about the brains of the 150 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: athletes that are wearing those. And the League has been 151 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: involved in some of the testing of this product. We have, 152 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: so the product's been around for a few years, as 153 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: you mentioned, but we and the League, together with the 154 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: Players Association, have developed testing where we can reproduce the 155 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: forces in a laboratory that go into producing injury on field. 156 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: So we know how to players get hit, what direction, 157 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: what speed so forth, what part of the helmet that 158 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: tends to produce injury, and so we can take that 159 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: knowledge and we can test the types of products and 160 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: say here's how we can reduce that force. So we 161 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: actually gave that information to the company making the Guardian caps, 162 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: and what our players will be wearing this year is 163 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: kind of what we call version two point zero. It's 164 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: a pro version that was designed Mike, based on that testing, 165 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: so it's really a step forward with the product, and 166 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: we tested it again in the lab using the same 167 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: standards we do to test helmets, and this whole program 168 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: is being driven by the outcome of that data. Mike, 169 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: it was pretty clear that you had between a ten 170 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: and fifteen percent force reduction anytime the helmet was hit 171 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: if the cap was on the helmet. You can imagine 172 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: then when two players are wearing it. If two players 173 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: wearing the cap hit each other, now we've got an 174 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: additive effect. We're twenty percent or more force reduction. So 175 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 1: every time someone gets hit, there's a reduction in the 176 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: force going through the helmet into the brain if you've 177 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:46,839 Speaker 1: got the cap on all right. At one of the 178 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,599 Speaker 1: league meetings earlier this year, a resolution was passed the 179 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,199 Speaker 1: offensive and defensive linemen are going to wear the Guardian caps, 180 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: along with tight ends and linebackers for every preseason practice 181 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: between the start training camps contact period and the second 182 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: preseason game, Why just them and what is the goal? 183 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: So this is part of our overall effort around reducing 184 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: head contact. I mean, that's the bottom line, not just concussions, 185 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: but actual head contact. And I've been very public and 186 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: the league has been very public to say that's our 187 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: goal now is we want to reduce avoidable head contact 188 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: in the game. There's always a little bit of what 189 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: I'd call unavoidable contact. Guys trip and hit the ground, 190 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: you inadvertently collide with each other. By the way, that 191 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: doesn't just happen in football. That happens and all sure, 192 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: but in football, where are the areas where contacts occurring 193 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: that we could reduce or eliminate. So when we started 194 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: looking at that, we now can measure where that contacts occurring. Mike, 195 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: We've got a couple of ways of measuring it. We've 196 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: got some players who wear mouthguards that have sensors in them, 197 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: So they've got a mouthguard in and that has a 198 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: sensor that measures how often they get hit, direction, speed, 199 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: force and all that. So we've got that data we've 200 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: been gathering other last couple of years in a subset 201 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 1: of players, not all players wear that. We also have 202 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: developed through a partner ship with Amazon Web Services, an 203 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: artificial intelligence program that can look at a game, if 204 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: you will, and measure every helmet impact. So the computer 205 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: can look at that game and see every helmet impact 206 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,839 Speaker 1: and report on who got hit where and when and 207 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: what the frequency was. When we looked at all that 208 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: data MIC, we discovered a couple of things. One is, 209 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: linemen have the most helmet impacts O line d line 210 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: tight ends and linebackers are not far behind. So when 211 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: you talk about the resolution, you're talking about the positions 212 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: on the field that have the highest rate of helmet contact. 213 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: The second thing is you look at when in the 214 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: season is that occurring. Obviously, to curse some in games 215 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 1: doesn't really occur a lot in practice. I think the 216 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: average fan may not realize there are very few contact 217 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: practices during the season. Most of the contact practices are 218 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: happening early in the preseason what we call training camp, 219 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: which is prior to the first preseason game. So essentially, 220 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 1: this resolution looks at who's being hit the most with 221 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: those positions you called out, and when is it happening, 222 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: which is the early part of training camp. And the 223 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: idea was to try to do all we can to 224 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: reduce helmet contact during that time, not only just with 225 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: the Guardian Cap, but making people aware of this looking 226 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,319 Speaker 1: at the drills. We've spoken to every head coach in 227 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: the league and they're really thinking about how do we practice, 228 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 1: what do we do, what are the situations? What can 229 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: we do to reduce head contact? Because now that we 230 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: can measure it, we can drive it down. It's just 231 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: we have the technology now to be able to measure it. Okay, 232 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: So I want to ask a couple of things about 233 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: the Guardian Cap. Do you worry that it's hot? We've 234 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: certainly heard that feedback. The company's worked. It's got some 235 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 1: ventilation holes in it, but look, football in July is 236 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: hot period, right, And I'm sure our guys will tell 237 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: you that. And I think that's one of the things 238 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: that hopefully the company will continue to iterate on. Obviously, 239 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: the cap doesn't have to be worn in times when 240 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 1: you're not having contact, so there may be times that 241 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,319 Speaker 1: guys are in helmets that are not having contact, but 242 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: contact practices, we think the benefit outweighs concerns about that. Now, 243 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: these guys are let's just say, fashion conscious, even the 244 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: linemen are. No question, this is a different look. The 245 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: Guardian cap is a very different look. Is anybody complained 246 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: about that? Yes, you have gotten pushback. Yes, okay, it's ugly, 247 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: just flat out it's not. But I think there are 248 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: two things about that, you know. One is we really 249 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: want guys to understand this isn't about us trying to 250 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: come down and be heavy handed. In fact, the support 251 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: for this being a mandate came from coaches. Yeah, coaches 252 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: are the ones that said, we really think this should 253 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,439 Speaker 1: be mandatory because we believe in this. We see the science, 254 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: we see the data. We want to keep our guys safe, 255 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: and we want to do all we can to have 256 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: them not just today in this moment, but throughout the 257 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: season and throughout a long career. So is there a 258 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: fashion component, sure, but there's also an availability compartment, and 259 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: so we're not talking about this forever, you know, we're 260 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: talking about it in this very defined period of time. 261 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: The other thing I would tell you, Mike, is over 262 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: one hundred NCAA schools where these now, including most of 263 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: the big name schools that you see playing in that 264 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: national championship type game. So players coming out of college 265 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: have warned this, they're used to it. It's gonna be 266 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: new to some of our veterans, but it's not new 267 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: to most players. That's a great point. And a guy 268 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: like Mike Tomlin stepping out. I saw he was wearing 269 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: one during practice for fun. But the point he was 270 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 1: making is this is a good thing. He was and 271 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 1: Coach Rabel, we've had conversations. Listen. He's another coach like 272 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: Coach Tomlin, that is very interested in these issues. He 273 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: cares deeply about the health of his guys. And they 274 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: look at the data. You know, they always say to 275 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: us on the health and safety side, bring us the data. 276 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,319 Speaker 1: You know, we're happy to hear your opinion, but we 277 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: really want to see the data. And I think when 278 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: they saw the data and they saw how much contact 279 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: was occurring, and then they saw what the benefit was 280 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,199 Speaker 1: of the cap, then they said, look, this is no 281 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: pun intended, kind of a no brainer. I mean, it's 282 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 1: something that we feel like we need to do to 283 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: do all we can to make our guys as safe 284 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: as possible. Doctor Allen Sells, NFL chief medical officer four 285 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: years ago, was involved in helping to change the game. 286 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: You stepped in front of NFL head coaches and gms, 287 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: and you said rules must change. Players cannot lower their 288 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 1: heads when initiating and making kind tact. The quote is 289 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: it is a foul if a player lowers his head 290 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent. 291 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,199 Speaker 1: The coaches and the gms overwhelmingly back to you, and 292 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: the numbers are better. Get this. Two fifteen, two hundred 293 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: and seventy five concussions, two sixteen, two hundred forty three concussions, 294 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: two thousand and seventeen two hundred eighty one concussions. That's 295 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: an average of two sixty six per year. Last year 296 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: just one hundred eighty seven concussions. Statistically, the change has worked. 297 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: Has it worked as well as you had hoped? I 298 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: think it has worked, Mike, And again a lot of 299 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: work went into that, not just from our side, but 300 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: you mentioned the coaches and the players who are the 301 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: ones that have had to make these changes, and I 302 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: think it's been a combination of things. I think it 303 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: has certainly been the rule change around the lowering ahead. 304 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: It's also been a rule change on kickoffs. If you remember, 305 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: we changed the kickoff rule in the formations and the 306 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: rules on blocking on kickoffs and no more wedges and 307 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: that type of thing. We changed the blindside block rule 308 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: and that was no longer allowed. Helmet technology has gotten 309 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: better and players have embraced that, you know, as we 310 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: put a poster out every year ranking the helmets on 311 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: how they do in those lab tests that we spoke 312 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: about earlier. Now every single NFL player is wearing one 313 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: of those top performing helmets, which adds safety. And I 314 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: think there's also just been continued awareness again around getting 315 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: the head out of the game and how we use it. 316 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: So all that has added together. You know that number 317 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: last year, Mike, that was an all time low, even 318 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: though we played a seventeenth game, if you remember, we 319 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: had an extra game, so the rate has really gone down. 320 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: We're not finished, by no means that we say the 321 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: works are done. And as if we talked about just 322 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: a moment ago, I want to move the conversation away 323 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: from just concussions and talk about all helmet impacts and 324 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: what we can do to drive those down, because I 325 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: think there's a lot we can do there. And you know, Mike, 326 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: this goes back to something the commissioner says, and this 327 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: is something that's kind of a guiding principle for us. 328 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: We believe the game can be both safer and more exciting. 329 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: We do not think those are mutually exclusive. And I 330 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: think if you looked at our game last year and 331 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: you thought about the playoffs, for example, minus a few 332 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: difficult moments less just say for our home team here, 333 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: but overall, overall, the quality of play might the excitement. 334 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: I mean, it's higher than it's ever been at a 335 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: time when the numbers were supporting you know, fewer injuries. 336 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: So I do believe we can be safer and more exciting. 337 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: At the same time, you shared with us four years 338 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: ago that when you got up to lay this out 339 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: for the football people as it were, that you had 340 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: no idea how it would be received, and that it 341 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: was overwhelmingly positive. Coach Belichick, even in that room, stood 342 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: up for you. As you review it now, with four 343 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: years in the rearview mirror, are you still a little 344 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: surprised that the football people bought in the way that 345 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: they did, and as quickly as they did. Well, I 346 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: think all coaches want their teams to be healthy, because 347 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: you know what healthy teams win, which it turns out, 348 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: the more available your players are, it's an advance, and 349 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: so coaches are always looking for every advantage they can, 350 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: whether it's scheme or design or scouting, and health is 351 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: one of those. So every coach wants to be healthy. 352 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: I think when we've brought them the data and they've 353 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: seen it, they've adapted and they've changed immediately. They really have. 354 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: And I'll give you another example that happened this year. 355 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 1: One of our other focal points are soft tissue injuries 356 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: hamstring strains, quad strains, groin strains. That turns out to 357 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: be the number one time loss injury in the NFL. 358 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: Players miss more games and practices due to those injuries 359 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,479 Speaker 1: than anything, concussion, acl anything. A lot of people are 360 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: surprised by that. They don't realize that's our biggest challenge. 361 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: So we've really dug into that and looked and said, okay, 362 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 1: what's driving that, Similar to what we did with concussions, 363 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 1: how can we reduce it. One of the things we've 364 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: zeroed in on is again the start of training camp, 365 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: that first fourteen days, what we do, how we do 366 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: duration of practice intensity. And we went to the coaches 367 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: this year again, we met with all of them one 368 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: on one, We shared the data, we showed them what 369 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: our findings were and how we thought they could modify 370 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 1: and sort of ramp up, gradually increase these factors, even 371 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: as they add contact and again to a person, there 372 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: was no pushback on that. No one said I don't 373 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: believe that, or I don't think that's the way to 374 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: do it, or by god, this is football. You know. 375 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: They want to be healthy, they want to be safe, 376 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 1: and I think when we bring data, they've been very curious, 377 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: they've been very engaged, They've given great feedback, and it 378 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 1: really is a dialogue. It's not just me or us 379 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: standing there saying thou shalt do this. You know that's 380 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:28,719 Speaker 1: not a productive way to do things. It's us saying, hey, 381 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: here's what the data shows, this is how we think 382 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: it could be implemented. What do you guys think can 383 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: you do? And they'll take that and say, yeah, we 384 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: can change X, Y and z, or maybe if you 385 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: thought about this. And so it's been a very productive 386 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: working relationship, doctor Sales. You hoped four years ago that 387 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: these changes in the NFL would carry over to high 388 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: school and college in terms of how the game was taught. 389 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: Have you seen as much of that as you hoped 390 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: over the past four seasons. I think we have I mean, 391 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: I think you just start out Mike with people's perception, 392 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: and if you think back, you know you're not as 393 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: old as me, but you probably remember there used to 394 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: be a show that showed all the big hits of 395 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: the week, and it was a thumping rock music and 396 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: everybody like, yeah, what a great hit. Now, when I 397 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: give talks, whether it's to medical people or coaches or 398 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: to a lay audience, if I show a hit like that, 399 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: everybody sort of turns away. You know, they don't want 400 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: to see that kind of hit because they think that's 401 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: an injury causing hit. So I think there's a shift 402 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: in what we view as the game versus dangerous behavior. 403 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: And that's part of this whole effort of just recognizing 404 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 1: we can play the game and we can have excitement, 405 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: and we can have great plays and fan involvement without 406 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: having those dangerous parts of the game. So I think 407 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: that has changed at all levels. Certainly, we've spent a 408 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: lot of time sharing what we're doing with helmets, sharing 409 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: what we did with kickoff. You've seen rules changes in college, 410 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: in high school, but we're trying to really aggressively share 411 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: all that we're doing. We mentioned a minute ago the 412 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: soft tissue initiative. Certainly Guardian caps. We'll be talking about 413 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: all that and sharing a data because we want Mike 414 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: this to influence other levels to make them safer as well. 415 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 1: This isn't just about NFL safety to me, it's about 416 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: sports safety in general. The kickoff play has been changed. 417 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: Are you continuing to study the punt play and possible changes. Yes, 418 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,120 Speaker 1: right now. The punt play is the most dangerous play 419 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: on the field in terms of the injury rate. Not 420 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: a big surprise because there are two elements that always 421 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: put you at risk for injury in that space and speed. 422 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,239 Speaker 1: So when you have big people running very fast over 423 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: long distances, there's the potential for injury. So you know, 424 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: we're really trying to look at that play. It's a 425 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: complex play, Mike, because it turns out at first it's 426 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: an offensive play. And what I mean now that is 427 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: the receiving team has to defend against a fake punt, 428 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: So this's not an automatic that there's going to be 429 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: a kick, which is very different than the kickoff. You 430 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: could say, well, there might be an onside kick, but 431 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,880 Speaker 1: it's still a kick play. So you have to start 432 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: with an offensive play that then rapidly transitions to a 433 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: special teams play over a long distance, and so there 434 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: are a lot of elements that we're looking at. Again, 435 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,199 Speaker 1: we've studied it in detail. We worked with the USFL 436 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: this spring about some potential modifications if folks follow that league. 437 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: They saw some changes that that came out of some 438 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: of our data and suggestions and conversations with them, So 439 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: we'll be really interested to see what the effect was. 440 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: But I think the punt play is something we know 441 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: that we're going to need to continue to address, and 442 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 1: we're trying to do that thoughtfully. Again, a lot of 443 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: dialogue with special teams coaches getting their input and what 444 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: they see and how we might move this forward safety wise. 445 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: Will we notice any rule changes in the NFL game 446 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two. Yeah, there weren't a whole lot 447 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: of brand new rules. I think the continued emphasis on 448 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: the use of helmet rule and how we interpret that 449 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: and call it will be something that I think you see. 450 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: But outside of that, there weren't any major rule changes 451 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: that were passed in this iteration of the owners meetings. 452 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: I do have two COVID questions. Okay, with two years 453 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: of COVID behind you and having had a chance to 454 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 1: review all of that. What turned out to be the 455 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: biggest challenge to the League in dealing with COVID I 456 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: think just that from a medical standpoint, we lacked answers. 457 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 1: You know, it was such a novel disease without a 458 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: track record that we couldn't fall back on five, ten, 459 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: twenty years of experience to say, well, if we do A, 460 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: then B will result. And you know, I think, Mike, 461 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: we were at the tip of the spear in terms 462 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: of knowledge. I mean, if you look back, the NFL 463 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,239 Speaker 1: was doing more testing and more tracing and had more 464 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: data than anyone did. But we turned to the experts 465 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: and often they said, we don't know, you know where 466 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: this is going to go? And so didn't the CDC. 467 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: Weren't they interested in examining the NFL's data. Well, not 468 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:34,239 Speaker 1: only did they examine it, Mike, we actually published with them. 469 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: We've published a couple of times with them what our 470 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: results said. And we did. We had very regular conversations 471 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,400 Speaker 1: with the CDC, the FDA, the White House Task Force 472 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: because the NFL data was absolutely invaluable to them. If 473 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: you think about it, it was thirty two different communities 474 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: that had all the same protocol with testing and tracing. 475 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: It was an incredible source of data to understand how 476 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: the pandemic was changing, how the different variants were impacting 477 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: US vaccinations, all of that. So that was a I 478 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: think one of the NFL's greatest contributions, and something fans 479 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: may not realize is literally the NFL's data helped shape 480 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: public policy. And by the way, not only in the US, 481 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: but we got invited to meet with several other foreign 482 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: governments as well, who basically said, tell us what you're 483 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: finding in the NFL, because we've got to make public 484 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: health policy in our country. So it was a really 485 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: neat moment for us to think that the NFL was 486 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: helping to impact all of that around the world. Out 487 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: of every negative comes a positive. So after two years 488 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: of COVID, what have you learned that will improve the 489 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: game and improve the care of the players and the 490 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,919 Speaker 1: staff going forward that you think will be permanent. Well, 491 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: I think one of the changes is just the closeness 492 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: of the relationship. I mean, we've always worked with our clubs, 493 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: but during COVID, I mean it was a weekly occurrence 494 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: for me to talk one on one with head coaches, 495 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: or general managers or team owners or presidents, and I 496 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: think those relationships have and will continue because we understand 497 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: each other's concerns. Kind of going back to what we 498 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: were talking about about non COVID issues, you know, now 499 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: when we go to talk about soft tissue injuries or 500 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 1: head contact, you know, there's a relationship and a foundation there. 501 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 1: So I think that's a positive takeaway that we'll have. 502 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: I think also just a better understanding of infectious disease overall. 503 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: I mean people think back to you know, the Michael 504 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: Jordan flu game and things like that. You know, there 505 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: have been episodes of illness in the past and how 506 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 1: those can impact a team and what measures to be taken, 507 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: and so whether we're talking about COVID or influenza or 508 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: staff infections, I think everyone now realizes, well, infectious disease 509 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 1: can be a real thing, can really affect our team. 510 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: But if we get in front of it and we 511 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: report it and we work together, we can mitigate the 512 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 1: impact on our team. So we talk a lot in 513 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: the league, and you know, in football in general, it's 514 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: about teamwork and resiliency and sacrificing for the good of 515 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: the group. That was never more apparent than it was 516 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 1: in COVID. There would have been no way to get 517 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 1: through two seasons without missing any games if you didn't 518 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: have everyone in the league really pulling together. I want 519 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 1: to end with two questions that I ask you when 520 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: we sat down four years ago, same two questions. What 521 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,679 Speaker 1: keeps you up at night in your job other than 522 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: the phone ringing most of the time. I would say 523 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: it's always making sure that we are looking forward and 524 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: anticipating what's coming down the road, and that we are 525 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: doing all that we can to maximize safety wherever we 526 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: may be. And our goal is to make sure Mike, 527 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 1: whether we're playing a game in London or Munich like 528 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: we will be this year, or Mexico City or the 529 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, that we have the same level of care 530 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: and the same level of preparedness for that. And so 531 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: I think as we enter this season, we all still 532 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: have a little bit of uncertainty about the COVID and 533 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: where we're going to be, and so that'll be something 534 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: we'll have to keep a very close eye on. But 535 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: it's just making sure I want us to be the 536 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: best in the world at taking care of our athletes, 537 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 1: our coaches, and our staff and I want to make 538 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: sure that we are as passionate and as detailed about 539 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: that as we can be at all times. You have 540 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: to be proud that the game of football is than 541 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: it's ever been. My last question is to keep moving 542 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: in that direction to make it even safer. What do 543 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 1: you think needs to continue to happen. I think first 544 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: as an acknowledgement that there's no finish line to health 545 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: and safety. I think we can always make things better, 546 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: and I think that is a mindset. You know, in 547 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: the past, there might have been a mindset among some 548 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: that said, hey, injuries are part of the game. They're 549 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: going to happen. It just is, and I don't accept that. 550 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 1: I think that we can and should continue to study 551 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 1: and drive down those injuries. I think we will. Yes, 552 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: players are bigger, faster, and stronger. But on the flip side, 553 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: we know so much more now today than we ever 554 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 1: have about physiology and training and nutrition and rest and recovery. 555 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: So I think we just have to be committed relentlessly 556 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: to this idea that we can make the game safer. 557 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,399 Speaker 1: We've got tremendous resources of data available to us. You know, 558 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,640 Speaker 1: when we talk about all the data we have whether 559 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: it's injury data or GPS tracking data, that every player wears, 560 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: a chip on the field, all the video we have, 561 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: Let's take all that and apply it to continue to 562 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,200 Speaker 1: make the game safer. And let's never accept that we've 563 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: done is all we can. Doctor Allen Sills, the NFL's 564 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,159 Speaker 1: chief medical officer, thanks for joining me. I appreciate it. 565 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me, Mike for Doctor Sills, and Mike Keith, 566 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: thanking you for joining us for the O t P. 567 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Big sou where the legends go. Everybody 568 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: knows it's our house, fighting thought Tennessee. Making us tore 569 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: greatness is meant to be