Why Do NFL Fans Treat the Players Like Products?

There are 22 men on the field, all in the best shape of their lives, using all of their strength in an effort to level the men across from them. The one thing that separates them is an invisible line called "scrimmage."

It sounds like the preface for an anti-war demonstration. Instead, it's the most broad description of a sport millions love and adore for entertainment purposes.

NFL organizations are accused of treating their players like products. Fans criticize them for being the evil organizations that only care about what they can do on the field. But fans fail to realize that they're just as guilty.

Where We Always Go Wrong

We neglect the human element of these players' lives and only care about what they can do for 60 minutes of playing time once a week. Once their production is hindered by an injury or a legal indiscretion off the field, everyone is prepared to dispose of them.

These men are supposed to be barbarians! How can we respect someone we see writhing around in pain? They're supposed to be pinnacles of discipline! How dare they place themselves on the wrong side of the law!

Perhaps that jolt of humanity sends us into a panic. The idea that someone we idolize on a weekly basis is just as prone to human error and fault as we are comes as a shock. 

These men no longer sit on thrones of impunity. And once that's realized, the hammer of judgment slams with such ferocity that the impact sends waves across the national media.

It sounds extreme, but that's the nature of the sport.

We still examine the life of an NFL player as something that our favorite teams will need to replace.

Not many give a second thought to the daily lives of these men or how the lives of those close to them have changed.

While fans cling to the memories, they do a poor job of honoring the men long removed from the playing field.

We Only Remember Until We Forget

In recent years, more attention has been paid to the health of retired NFL players. The toll the game took on their bodies has resulted in all types of aches and pains, from headaches to blunt trauma on major joints.

Former wide receiver for the New York Jets Wesley Walker is revered for his seasons in the NFL. He's one of the bright spots in the organization's spotty history.

But nearly two decades after his retirement, his number is worn by another man, and his memory becomes more distant as new Jets favorites emerge. 

What hasn't faded is Walker's agony. For the glory of the team and for the respect of the fans, Walker, like so many other players, injected himself with cortisone shots to help him deal with the pain and keep playing.

The adrenaline from the cheers and applause may keep them going on Sunday afternoons, and the fans love them for it—but only until we're allowed to move on from their memory.

While Walker "gets chest spasms that feel like heart attacks," fans selfishly recall his playing days and don't think twice of his current stress and pain after dedicating his life to our approval.

An NFL player's retirement isn't always glorious. We need to make more of an effort to respect the men who've left the game with a bang.

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