Don't count San Diego Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer a fan of the NFL's future policy requiring all players to wear padding on their legs, according to U-T San Diego.
"There'll probably be a lot of fines in 2013," Jammer said about the year that the rule is expected to go into effect. "A lot of guys won't wear them."
Jammer said, "No," when the newspaper asked him if he would wear leg padding.
League owners voted Tuesday to require players to wear hip, thigh and knee pads during games in the 2013 season. The NFL Players Association opposes the policy.
"It's dumb," Jammer, an 11-year veteran, said. "Ridiculous to me. I don't think anybody should be required to wear (them). I don't get hit, so I don't need to worry about pads. Offensive players should wear them because we hit them, but I don't think it should be mandatory."
Chargers linebacker Jarrett Johnson said the change was insincere and would not improve player safety.
"The repetitive amount of hits we take, day in and day out -- this, to me, is a PR stunt. ... If you get hit in the legs, you're doing something wrong," Johnson said. "You're either getting cut or standing there. Usually, when guys are aggressive and they're hitting back, the legs aren't usually getting hit."
Some players oppose wearing leg pads for looks and also because they think they play faster without them. NBA players wear more padding below the hip than NFL players, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell, who said the information was relayed to him by Nike CEO Mark Parker.
"You play this game because you want to play this game, and the risks you take are the risks you take," Jammer told the newspaper. "If you don't want to wear hip pads, knee pads or thigh pads, you shouldn't have to. It should be a choice."
Goodell said requiring leg padding is a matter of player safety, indicating that every level of organized football but the NFL requires the pads.
