Curtis Martin took and dished out plenty of helmet hits as he rushed for more than 14 Tanoh Kpassagnon Jersey ,000 yards in his Hall of Fame career.

He just wishes he didn’t have to endure that.

The retired running back sees the NFL’s enhanced rule penalizing players for leading with their helmets as a positive step for the sport. As a member of the player safety advisory panel, he’s part of a leaguewide effort to educate the current generation on how to stay on the right side of the rule and reduce injuries.

“Hopefully we can extend careers and just have less contact to the head, which I just think is beneficial over a long period of time,” Martin said by phone this week. “We’re really focusing on getting the head (contact) out of the game. I wish it was like that when I was playing. I think it’s something that’s very positive, and I think it’s important as we go forward and the future of the game.”

Martin and former linebackers Willie Lanier , also a Hall of Famer, and Willie McGinest taped minute-long “NFL Way to Play” instructional videos for players stressing stance, posture and technique. For specific examples of head-contact hits that are now 15-yard penalties or possibly ejections, there are situation-specific videos narrated by coaches Anthony Lynn of the Chargers (ball carriers ), Doug Marrone of the Jaguars (offensive linemen ), Dan Quinn of the Falcons (defensive linemen ), Mike Vrabel of the Titans (linebackers ), and Todd Bowles of the Jets (defensive backs ).

“I just had some things I wanted to try to share being a former player and having played that technique and coached that technique,” Vrabel said. “It’s what’s best for the game Tedric Thompson Jersey , the fundamentals. We always try to teach the fundamentals that are good: playing with your knees bent, leading with your hands and playing with your face up.”

After watching those videos, Redskins coach Jay Gruden said making sure players don’t use their helmets as weapons is “a big thing we’re trying to get over.” That’s the NFL’s emphasis: a helmet is for protection and not to be used as a projectile.

“You don’t necessarily want to hurt anyone,” Martin said. “As an offensive player, a lot of times, especially when you see those times when a player or whoever’s carrying the ball they’re very close to the sidelines, but before they go out, they decide they just want to punish that (defensive back). That’s where you see the helmet used as a weapon, and you want to cut things like that out of the game because it’s unnecessary, No. 1, and it just protects the players better.”

Bowles, who played defensive back for eight NFL seasons, illustrated in his video many of the shoulder-to-shoulder hits that are legal and expected. He contrasted them with some players who made helmet-to-helmet contact. Because the enhanced rule now makes helmet-to-anywhere contact a penalty, he knows it’s on coaches to give players a refresher on the proper way to tackle.

“It’s really teaching football to be played the right way Nate Solder Jersey ,” Bowles said. “There are going to be hard collisions, but if the helmet’s up, and you have to keep the helmet out of the way and hit with the shoulder, which most of the teams do all the time. There’s an occasional head-to-head when someone’s putting their head down, but we don’t teach it any differently.”

Martin fully understands the football mentality of pushing for the extra yard and going for the big hit, so he figures it’ll take time for players to adjust. It’s his hope the culture change toward understanding head injuries helps players accept the updated rule for their own good.

“As former players, we can sit back and see how this rule would’ve been very effective for us when we were playing,” Martin said. “But when you’re in the midst of something, it’s like anything — when you’re in the midst of a problem, it’s hard to see the benefits of (fixing) that problem or the outcome or the potential positive things that can come out of that problem. Now that we’re on the other side, we can see that maybe a little clearer than current players can and as we’re able to inform them and teach, I think that they’ll come around.”

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-10)

New faces: CB Richard Sherman, RB Jerick McKinnon, C Weston Richburg Donovan Smith Jersey , LB Jeremiah Attaochu, G Jonathan Cooper, OL Mike Person, RB Alfred Morris, LB Korey Toomer, T Mike McGlinchey, WR Dante Pettis, LB Fred Warner, WR Richie James Jr., DL Jullian Taylor.

Key losses: RB Carlos Hyde, S Eric Reid, CB Dontae Johnson, DE Elvis Dumervil, C Daniel Kilgore Jason Taylor Jersey , T Trent Brown, LB Eli Harold, G Brandon Fusco,

Strengths: QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Track record short with just seven NFL starts. Garoppolo won all of them and earned $137.5 million contract in offseason. Thrived last season while learning offense on fly. Completed 67.4 percent of passes with 8.8 yard per attempt, seven TDs, five INTs and 96.2 rating. His 308.4 yards passing per game in five starts would have led league had he played full season.

Weaknesses: Niners did little to upgrade pass rush despite only 30 sacks last season. Dumervil cut after leading team with 6 1/2 sacks and San Francisco didn't draft any edge rushers. Main offseason addition was Attaochu, who had 10 sacks in four seasons for Chargers. Key to improving rush will be better season from 2017 No. 3 overall pick Solomon Thomas and more production from DeForest Buckner. Niners experimenting with Buckner on outside at times to create better matchups.

Fantasy Players To Watch: WR Marquise Goodwin. Goodwin showed he's more than speed receiver last season. Smashed career highs with 56 catches, 962 yards in first season with 49ers. Played even better with Garoppolo at QB. Goodwin ranked in top six in catches (29) and yards (384) during Garoppolo's five starts. Carrying that over to full season could make him one of top receivers in league.

Vegas Says: Super Bowl 28-1. Over/under wins 8.

Expectations: After 21 wins under four coaches past four seasons, Niners poised to get back into contention. Coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch began turnaround last season despite 0-9 start. Process accelerated as soon as Garoppolo arrived from New England, leading five straight wins to end year. Roster still has question marks with no proven every-down running back, lack of pass rush and unknowns in secondary. But if Sherman can bounce back from Achilles tendon surgery and regain top form and LB Reuben Foster stays healthy and out of trouble, defense could be improved enough for playoff run.

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