NFL

If you look at the video I posted a couple weeks back of Dick Butkus - I mentioned how he would not be able to play in today's NFL - because he played so violently.

BUT that was an accepted style of play during his era. He was drafted, became a star and was voted into the Hall of Fame specifically because of how he played - IN HIS ERA.

Burfict plays in an era where that type of play has been legislated out of the league - and has been legislated out of the league since the time he was playing pee wee football as a lad.

Had this particular hit been his first offence the punishment might have been simply a substantial fine (which the teams usually pay on their behalf). Had it been his second or third offence he might have been suspended one or two games.

But he has a rather long list of fines, suspensions, reprimands. And he has not shown any inclination to change his behavior. Thus the league has no choice but to set an example by him. The game evolves, the rules evolve. Players have to evolve.

Sometimes the league evolves its rules in the other direction. Josh Gordon was given a permanent suspension by the league after his umpteenth suspension for testing positive for marijuana.

However, after considering that a number of US states have made recreational marijuana legal, the NFL has to consider how fair it is to suspend a player for smoking marijuana in the privacy of his home, but not punish a player for drinking alcohol when both of which are legal, recreational drugs in some places.

Also, with all of the concerns over debilitating additions to opioids in the US, having a player smoke some week to deal with after-game pain seems a much better option than numbing themselves with opioids.

So the league let Josh Gordon back in the league. Where he plays for the New England Patriots (they do collect these fellas)