Press Box: Is the NFL preseason worth it?

Hayden Braun, Contributing Writer

The National Football League’s preseason right now is in a limbo state. Viewership isn’t the highest and the average fan doesn’t watch it because the games “don’t matter.”

The league should keep the preseason going but with less starters playing. The preseason is a time for career backups and journeymen players to have their time to shine and make the 53-man roster.

The preseason is often seen as “not important” for the average fan — and it may not be — but it is a crucial time for coaches to try out different schemes, help players get back into game shape and work on their timing and chemistry.

Most importantly, they must evaluate their final 53-man roster.

Viewership is up and steady, a week two 49ers-Saints matchup on Fox, averaged about 4.63 million viewers this preseason. A 10% increase compared to last year’s Texans-Saints matchup, which held around 4.23 million average viewers, according to SMW.

Ratings for the preseason games often depend on what time and what station it’s held on. Games on NBC were steadily declining in 2021. The Browns-Falcons preseason finale averaged about 5.06 million viewers and was down about 19% compared to the 2019 Steelers-Titans Sunday night preseason game, which averaged about 6.24 million viewers, according to SMW. 

The preseason itself often leaves many starting players injured before week one of the regular season. 

The offseason in the NFL is usually about 15 weeks, sometimes longer, depending on if your team made the playoffs or the Superbowl. 

This long time of rest is often the reason players are commonly injured in the preseason. 

The Bengals have already lost four starters to injuries this preseason, according to ASTV. 

More often than not, if teams have their starters out on the field during the preseason, an injury is  likely to occur. 

Head trauma and the debate of grass versus turf fields are also factors in preseason injuries.

A lot of these happen on turf fields. About 20% more non-contact injuries occurred per play on a turf surface than on a grass surface, according to Mass General Brigham.

Risking your star players on turf fields is not a good call before the regular season even starts,

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins both tore their Achilles on turf fields in the 2023 regular season. That is an insane injury to happen to two different star quarterbacks in the same season. 

Ninety-two percent of NFL players prefer grass fields over turf surfaces, according to National Football League Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell on ESPN.

Guardian Caps, which are soft shell helmet covers designed for impact reduction, are a good start in prioritizing player safety. 

In an interview on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said, “Guardian Caps have reduced concussions to positions that are required to wear them by over 50% during the preseason.”

The Indianapolis Colts starting running back Johnathan Taylor was seen wearing it in the preseason opener versus the Denver Broncos. 

In that same interview, Miller said, “Because of their soft shell, the presence of the cap reduces the impact by around 20% if both players are wearing it. If only one player has the protective gear on, the impact is still lessened by 10%.”

The cap could prevent many head-related injuries and is also hardly noticeable in a game. Most players have been wearing it during practice for years.

I’m excited to see more players wear the Guardian Cap this season. Hopefully, it’s going to help players’ careers last longer and help lessen head trauma through the preseason and regular season. 

Preseason is a time for players to fight for a spot on the roster or warm up for the actual season. It shouldn’t be a time when star players are getting season-ending or lifelong injuries. The league and teams either need to make it safer for star players or lessen their load during the preseason.