Atlanta Falcons strong safety Keanu Neal is known for his hard hitting ways. The kid can hit; that’s a fact. But that said, he’s been the recipient of extensive pushback over his two years as a professional football player. Put simply, his critics claim he’s a reckless player. When the NFL decided to change its helmet rule this offseason, Neal immediately came to mind. Would the rule effectively limit his effectiveness as a player? Could he adapt?
The short version of the new rule is this: a player may be penalized for unnecessary roughness when their helmet or facemask butts, spears, or rams an opponent.