Former rugby league great Matty John has called for the NRL to follow the NFL's lead in protecting playmakers.
His comments come after Tariq Sims’ hit on Michael Morgan left the Cowboys half concussed, causing him to miss Origin III next Wednesday.
Furthermore, the NRL has been caught up in a legal battle with former players this week regarding concussion.
Speaking on The Matty Johns Podcast, he highlighted how the American football league do a much better job of looking after the players' welfare.
“If you look at the NFL, they unashamedly protect their playmakers,” Johns said on the podcast.
“You know, their quarterbacks.”
Johns pointed to NFL star Tom Brady's longevity in the game as a great example of why the American league's protection works better.
“There’s been a bit of criticism from old quarterbacks about Brady, saying, ‘he wouldn’t have survived that long back in the old days,’ but that’s part of (my point),” Matty continued.
“In the NFL, you basically can’t touch the quarterback.
“Even when he’s got the ball in his hands and you jam him, you can get done for unnecessary roughness.
“They protect their playmakers to the Nth degree.”
Journalist Paul Kent agreed with Johns' comments, stating the NFL are smarter at preserving their stars.
“This is where our game’s missing and what the NFL have got,” Kent said.
“The NFL realise the quarterbacks are the stars of the game.”
