It will be very difficult to legislate. As it is the officials have way to much lattitude with certain calls like PI and holding and now we are going to let them make judgements on this. Wait until a team loses a game because of this and then wait for the outcry.

It is idiotic.  As Belichick has already noted enforcement is going to be tricky as it is.  Not to mention it is nuts to expect RBs to stand up straight and take it when they have 300 lb lineman and 250 lb backers trying to kill them.  It is a natural instinct to lower your head. 

The only saving grace is that for once a rule change will benefit defenses instead of stacking the deck even more towards offenses.  Still I don't agree with it.

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How does one even enforce this?

What's the criteria for "open field"? What's the criteria for telling if the offensive player used his crown or lowered his head to use his shoulder? What if the RB is on his way to falling down after a trip or tackle? On at least half TDs made by the RB, the RB dives helmet first at the line. 

Well, runners are going to get KILLED on 1 yard line running plays. No need for power running into the line, it will always draw a flag! Heck, going for it on 4th and inches will become interesting if you can't lower your head (a play that Brady is great at!)

I'm going to wait to see how the refs call it in preseason. There is a difference when I see a RB lower his head to try to protect himself and tries to lead into a hit with his shoulder but ends up bumping heads and a RB who lowers his head to hit a D players helmet them immediately pops right back up. I'm sure it's going to be a did they do it into a pile situation or did they do it 1v1 in open field. We'll have to wait to see how and what situations they enforce it in, but it's another measure to prevent concussions which players can't complain against since they are the ones sueing not enough is being done to prevent it 

Oh and it won't affect short yardage or goal line situations:

The NFL has passed a rule that makes it a penalty for ball carriers to strike defenders with the crown of their helmet in the open field.

It's another rule change made in the interest of player safety, and it's sure to stir controversy despite passing 31-1. The best running backs often operate on instinct instead of thinking about how to get around or through a defender. Now, if they lower their head, it's a 15-yard penalty. The rule does not apply to short-yardage or goal-line situations. "We're bringing the shoulder back to the game," said Rams coach Jeff Fisher, a member of the competition committee. "The helmet is a protective device, but it's not being used as that as of late." Officials will also have a hard time policing this as most tackles are bang-bang plays. In other rules news, the "Tuck Rule" has been eliminated. Unfortunately for the Raiders, it is not retroactive.

Source:  Adam Schefter on Twitter Mar 20 - 12:41 PM

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Just have the players sign a waiver before they join the league after attending a mandatory health related seminar.This is absolutely ridiculous. 

In response to magicalhobo's comment:

Such waiver probably does not give NFL enough protection. When you sign a waiver, it does not excuse the establishment from liability when they neglect safety issues that can be fixed. 

I too am interested to see how this gets called.  Would Ridley have been penalized for the hit he took from Pollard since he lowered his head?  Seems that Ridley took the brunt of that collision.  I am all for player safety but this may be a call that is very subjective and I am sure that a lot of us will be scratching our heads.  RBs better start doing those wrist curls early this year and bone up on the stiff arm technique. 

I saw this being talked about on TV, and they said there was only like 5 total plays from last season where this would have or (should have) been called, and a couple of them were on the defensive player using their head to spear someone.

There are already rules in place about head to head contact, or leading with your head....so I'm not clear on why they have to change anything. If someone leads with their head on defense, they get called for it. I don't see it getting called very often on RBs, and it doesn't look like it's going to be called very often, hence the "open field" part of the rule. As I understand it, RBs will still be allowed to slam into the pile in a short yardage situation w/o any changes...

As with many things in the NFL....time will tell how this one works out.

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What a horrible rule!!!! I think there will more injuries do to this rule!

THE nfl 5 YEARS FROM NOW....

There will be a lot of screaming this season.  Most RBs duck in the anticipation of a hit and for the most part are leading with their shoulders.  Anyway...  per TFBs posted image, when will the flag football rules be instituted, or rather, the rules make the game totally different than today or not years past as it is already?

In response to tanbass' comment:

On the radio they said 5 total plays from week 16. Not sure which is true

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One thing that didnt sit with me that well is how theyre saying you can still hit with your head but it has to be hairline or facemask. Wouldnt that lead to more neck injuries for the runners as they try to adjust their running styles? I can see someone instinctively putting his head down as a defender comes in for the tackle and the runner realizes his heads down so he tries to readjust and awkwardly hits with his facemask. A little whiplash right there. This rule is definitely a huge change.

I feel like this hurts a team like the Pats most.

They've built their front 7 to stop the run. Now that's much easier to stop the run, that kind of advantage is gone.

 

Run stuffing linebackers like Spikes are worth a whole lot less if coverage lbs can stop the run just fine

I'll wait and see how it works.  I think if the NFL ignores player safety it will eventually have big problems with lawsuits and may even face possible government regulation of the sport.  Hockey needs to get smarter too . . . you want to do things to limit injuries before a lawsuit or the government forces you to do it.  Now it's in your control.  Eventually, if you do nothing, it may not be.  

If there ever was a rule which will require subjective judgement, this is one for the books!  Was the RB trying to "ram" the defender or simply lowering his body to lead with the shoulder and deflect an oncoming hit?  If the helmets touch, which will be a given probably 100% of the time, where will the blame go?  Want to bet the NFL will rescind it after a couple games and when such a subjective call turns a game on its heels?  Like a TD run from the 1 yard line for a winning score negated at the end of a game?

I think they should redesign the helmet. They could make the face mask so it couldn't be grabbed.  They could make it mandatory that there needs to be a face shield to protect the eyes and face. It's the equipment tht needs changed not the rules.