NFL players don't like change. And they generally don't like being told what equipment to wear. That's why there has been plenty of grumbling about the NFL's new requirements on thigh and knee pads.
Adrian Peterson has a response to all that complaining.
"I'll call BS on that," the Minnesota Vikings running back told Mike Garafolo of FOXSports.com on Tuesday. "It's like, 'You're a National Football League player. If a pad that doesn't weigh but a couple of ounces slows you down, you don't need to be playing in this league.' Like, come on now. Seriously.
"Guys like to be pretty, not wear the thigh pads and knee pads, but it protects you. There have been plenty of times I got hit in my knee and when I had my pants pulled up too high and that pad wasn't there to protect it. It didn't feel good. So I make sure I keep my pads pulled down and covering my knee just to be able to protect my body."
And there you have it. As Merton Hanks, the NFL's vice president of football operations, told NFLEvolution.com's Bill Bradley, Peterson is the best proof possible that pads don't hurt performance. When a 2,000-yard runner who believably plans to break the league's all-time rushing record points out nonsense, there's not much else you can say.
In a league emphasizing health and safety, it seems like a simple enough change to make. Why not do everything possible to prevent injuries?
"The guys who are around me know: 'Shoot, Adrian wore every pad there is -- elbow pads, forearm pads.' They're surprised I don't have a neck roll on," Peterson said.
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