NFL Crackdown: Why the League Should Suspend Players for Helmet-To-Helmet Hits

There have been numerous helmet-to-helmet hits and the concussions that usually result from them. DeSean Jackson and Joshua Cribbs are just two of the latest players who have been sidelined after brutal collisions.

While the argument can be made that this is football and that hard hits are a part of the game, that argument has been rendered moot by the league's new focus on preventing and reducing the amount of concussions sustained in the game.

Players who launch themselves in the air and use their helmet as a guided missile are going to hurt somebody as well as themselves, and that defeats the purpose of a "good hit."

If the NFL is serious about cracking down on helmet-to-helmet collisions, fines will not do the job. It's time to start handing out suspensions, and here's why. 

5. Concussions End Careers

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 10: Troy Aikman attends the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game between the Green Bay Packers the Arizona Cardinals at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 10, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Packers 51

You need to look no further than Troy Aikman to find out what multiple concussions do to a football player's career.

Aikman should've had a few more years left in him, but the amount of concussions he sustained ended his career.

How many of your favorite players could end up on the shelf before their time because a player wanted to make the SportsCenter highlight reel?

If the NFL had been suspending players in the 1990s for some of the vicious hits Aikman took, he might have gotten another Super Bowl ring.

4. Fines Don't Send the Right Message

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 17: DeSean Jackson #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles is laid out by Dunta Robinson #23 of the Atlanta Falcons during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 17, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both players were injured o

A lot of players set aside money each season to pay fines they anticipate incurring over the course of a season for illegal hits.

What players can't do is set aside games to serve suspensions. When a multi-millionaire can afford to set $50,000 aside to pay league fines, it's time to make sure that money becomes worthless.

3. Fines Aren't Working

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 03: Aaron Ross #31 of the New York Giants sacks Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears at New Meadowlands Stadium on October 3, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Not only do fines not send the right message, a review of some recent NFL games also would prove they're just not working.

If a defender has no worries about giving another player a concussion, then there's no point to the fine.

Most players are concerned about being suspended, so that seems like the correct route in this case.

2. Violent Hits Deserve Severe Punishment

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PITTSBURGH - OCTOBER 03: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers wears a pink chin strap for breast cancer awareness prior to playing the Baltimore Ravens on October 3, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Gett

James Harrison took Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi out of the game with concussions in the span of seven-and-a-half minutes on Sunday.

Replays showed he clearly was launching himself with the intention of inflicting serious damage.

For some reason no flag was thrown on either play, but the league is reviewing the plays, according to reports from ESPN.

Coupled with Harrison's arrogant and ignorant comments about his actions after the game, it's time for the league to sit players like Harrison down. That is the only way to get through to guys like this.

A suspension of at least two games will send the message Harrison obviously is ignoring.

1. If the League Is Serious About Player's Health, Then They Need To Back It Up

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LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 10: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers lays on the ground after a hard hit against the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter at FedExField on October 10, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won the game in overtime

One of the main reasons the league has begun taking a closer look at concussions was the mounting evidence of the long-term health effects from suffering multiple concussions.

A concussion isn't just a headache; it's a brain injury.

If the league is serious about reducing brain injuries, then they need to be serious about enforcing the new rules.