PLAYERS’ SAFETY THE TOP PRIORITIES

For what it’s worth, the CFL commissioner has made it his mission to improve player safety going forward, even if some people suggest the game can never be made safe.

The CFL’s all-time receptions leader suggested just that to The Canadian Press at the 2017 Grey Cup.

“When will we stop selling safe when we know there’s nothing we can do to make the game safe?” said Nik Lewis, who retired last October. “When will we start educating our players on brain health and rehab of the brain?”

The league is open to improving education, but for now it seems the focus remains on reducing the injury risk on the field.

“It’s player safety, first, second and third priority,” Ambrosie said.

“I want us to be harder and harder and harder on the issue of player safety. I want to make sure it’s at the forefront of the decisions we make going forward.”

The CFL rules committee is meeting in Winnipeg during CFL Week and they are looking at several issues with regard to player safety.

“I’m particularly interested in looking for examples on the field where players have gotten hurt and what led to those things,” Ambrosie said. “We are going to be taking some film to the rules committee and showing the coaches and GMs those events and talking about some potential changes that can make the game safer for our players.”