Troy Aikman is a fan of the recent rule changes in the NFL that have genuinely made the game safer compared to his playing days. However, he believes there’s a specific rule intended to cut down on physical wear and tear that could ironically end up causing more injuries instead.

On the “Rodeo Time Podcast,” Aikman reflected that training camps during his playing days were far more physically grueling and demanding than they are today. In essence, modern players simply aren’t entering the regular season in the same level of peak physical condition that was once standard.

“Wichita Falls is the hottest place on earth,” Aikman said of the Cowboys’ training camp. “Back then, you did two-a-days in that kind of heat, day after day after day, two practices a day in full pads. Now, the restrictions, probably for the better, players aren’t as taxed as they were.

“I think they only wear pads one day a week or one time a day, and they have a walk-through. … But some of it is that we see too is a lot of the reasons I think that we see so many injuries, especially early in the year. A lot of soft tissue injuries, a lot of muscle pulls, and things of that nature are the players; they’re just not able to train the way that we once did.”

Troy Aikman’s theory cannot be thrown out of the window, even though there are going to be a lot of stakeholders who wouldn’t buy it. Nonetheless, players’ safety rules need to undergo a critical look in a bid to achieve their critical goals.

Troy Aikman is not opposed to players’ safety

Training camp restrictions are aimed at ensuring players’ safety across the board in the NFL. Troy Aikman is aware of this fact, and he’s solidly behind the good intention. However, the ESPN Monday Night Football color analyst believes those adjustments can’t cross the line.

“Player safety is great. As a former quarterback, I do like that they protect quarterbacks,” Aikman said. “With that said, the objective for a defense is to hit the quarterback and affect the quarterback and sometimes I think we’re asking a lot from these defensive players, to try to navigate 300-pound offensive linemen and then not graze the helmet of the quarterback.”

Backing Troy Aikman’s claim, a 2021 study by the National Institute of Health claims 19% of NFL injuries happen in the first four weeks, with the first two weeks holding a higher risk. Knee and ankle injuries are common in this period, potentially sidelining the player for most or the rest of the season.