Mawae: Fewer hits to aid players down road

Jets linebacker Bart Scott recently criticized the NFL for implementing new work rules that will eliminate two-a-day practices in pads during training camp. NFL Players Association president Kevin Mawae, who was instrumental in trying to reduce contact, said Scott's thinking is misguided.

Mawae Monday said Scott will appreciate the move someday. "When he's 50 years old and he's taken off 65 hits a day from his head,'' Mawae said, "I think he'll thank the players that made this decision.''

Scott told the Star-Ledger last week that eliminating two-a-days is bad for the game.

"I think it's wimping out, making football more soft,'' Scott said. "I get concerned you're making football players weaker because you don't push them past that threshold.

"Two-a-days, it's what football is all about. It's about endurance, pain, will, putting yourself through something when your body is telling you it doesn't want to go. Your mind controlling your body. With one-a-days, guys might not be in as good a shape as they would have been.''

Tony Richardson, also on the NFLPA executive committee, endorsed the reduced hitting.

"If Bart wants to go out there for a second practice and put pads on himself and run into something, he can do that," Richardson said. "But the fewer hits a person takes, and the less traumatic hits, he's better off.

"We take enough hits on Sunday . . . Our guys are dying from the unfortunate effects of this game, and until we can get more information about these concussions and dementia, the more we can do to protect our guys."

Richardson doesn't think less hitting will take away the game's toughness.

"We know football is a contact sport,'' he said. "But if we can protect our guys when they're 50 years old and they look back and say, 'I took so many less hits,' especially for a fullback or a linebacker, that's a good thing.

"It was never to make the game soft. It was meant to protect ourselves."