NFL players will be required to wear knee and thigh pads beginning with the 2013 season. Owners voted approved the rule change at their Tuesday meeting in Atlanta, one of several changes up for a vote.
NFL Rule Changes: Knee, Thigh Pads Now Mandatory
The change still has to be approved by the NFLPA because it constitutes a chance in working conditions which are covered by the CBA.
Mandatory at all levels of play except the NFL, a number of professional football players opt to leave their hip, knee and thigh pads in the equipment room. The argument goes that the pads slow them down in a game where a fraction of a second can make a difference.
The league says that requiring the pads will make players safer, and with all eyes increasingly on player safety lately, the vote comes as no surprise. The NFLPA has called for additional research on the subject of knee and thigh pads.
Additional votes on rule changes will happen throughout the day as owners review and discuss each proposal.
For updates on the rule changes, stay tuned to this StoryStream.
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