NFL Punter Hit in Head With Football, Scratched From Game

The Big Lead: Philadelphia Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis warmed up without a helmet for Thursday night’s preseason game against the Steelers. It proved to be a costly decision. An errant punt hit him in the head, resulting in a late scratch due to concussion.

Oh, for the love of God. A football to the noggin can cause a concussion? Please. Man up, son. I assume he lay there like a little baby in the fetal position, as if he’d been hit by a military sniper. Sigh. Let me tell you a story . . .

Not an actual photo of incident.

When I first started teaching I coached junior high football at Greenfield McClain. One afternoon it was about 10° and we were practicing extra-points at the end of practice. I might add we were using those hard rubber footballs as well as the regular leather ones. Anyhoo, a kid named Mark Paugh, who was about my size, kicked an extra-point with one of the rubber footballs as I was stupidly walking in front of him. Long story short I took a hit that knocked me for a loop. Did I mention it was bitterly cold? That ball was as hard as a rock. Anyway, when I got up there was blood oozing from my ear and my entire head was numb.

Did I go to the doctor? No. Did I go through concussion protocol? Nah. Was I deaf in my left ear for a couple weeks? Probably. Did I think I was Pee Wee Herman for a day or two? That’s neither here nor there. Bottom line, over the years as a coach and teacher I’ve seen hundreds of kids and coaches hit in the head with footballs, basketballs, baseballs, dodgeballs, volleyballs, and the occasional fist. How many of them sat out a game or class because of this? Nary a one.

Yet, a professional football player (albeit a kicker) takes a football to the cranium and sits out the game.

Sigh. Just another sign that the Wussification of America is upon us.