Hines Ward: Angry Rant Raises Interesting Questions About the NFL's Priorities

During an interview Wednesday in the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room, Hines Ward voiced his displeasure with the NFL over the whole James Harrison controversy holding little back in the process.

He called the league office hypocrites saying that they, "Say one thing, and do another."

Some of what Ward said was way off topic.  

Ward complained, "Talk about you don't want players to drink, but our major endorsement is Coors Light. That's all you see is beer commercials."

He also brought up, "You say you don't want us to gamble, but you have spreads."

Now, those two money makers are obviously for the fans and Ward was just reaching for as much ammo as he could grab and throw, but he did raise a few very interesting questions in the interview.

He questioned the league's true motivation asking, "If they're so concerned about safety, why are you adding two more games?"

He brings up an excellent point.

Fining players because of huge collisions while increasing the length of the schedule definitely doesn't accomplish the same goal.

Could the NFL just be ignorant in their actions?  Maybe they're just trying to accomplish two goals at once not noticing the contradiction.  It's most likely that they noticed the contradiction, though, and they're just ignoring it.

Ward also throws in another solution to the problems he sees with the NFL saying, "If they're worried about concussions: mandate each player has a new helmet.  They don't do that.  They collect money from every helmet that pays them enough money to get their helmets on the field.  Now they have three different helmets, and none of them proven that they work."

You would think that with the technology at the fingertips of humans today that someone would be able to design a helmet that prevents concussions.  

Maybe there is in fact one out there, but that particular helmet company just doesn't have the money the bigger name companies do.

The lengthening of the league schedules is one thing.  Of course there are going to be more injuries with more games, but injuries are so random that the NFL could avoid taking blame for a few extra trips to the trainers.

The helmet controversy is a huge deal if the conditions mentioned above are accurate.

If there is actually a more efficient way to protect players that is known, but being set aside because of dollar figures, than that by itself should set the NFLPA into a rage.  The NFL couldn't dodge the blame for a travesty like that.

With all the question marks surrounding this NFL season, the chance for a new collective bargaining agreement being signed looks bleaker and bleaker each week.

David Daniels is an NFL Featured Columnist and Writing Intern at Bleacher Report and a Syndicated Writer.  Follow him at One Yard Short.com or on Twitter