Voila_Capture632On Mike and Mike this morning, besides the hours of sponsor-laden vanilla content, Adam Schefter told the Mikes that Jeffrey Lurie once argued at an owners meeting that quarterbacks need to be better protected… because an injury to Donovan McNabb hurt local TV ratings.

Schefter was talking about whether the league will fine Ahmad Brooks for his hit on Drew Brees on Sunday, when he mentioned that owners have long been pushing for the stricter rules to protect quarterbacks. He recalled the time Lurie was more concerned with TV ratings than, you know, his franchise quarterback being hurt:

“When the Eagles lost Donovan McNabb, Jeffrey Lurie got up at an owners meeting – and there’s actual video of him – talking about the effect of losing McNabb had on his team’s local TV ratings, that they fell of dramatically.”

See, this is the problem with the NFL. The watering down of the game has little to do with actually protecting players, and much more to do with avoiding future lawsuits, making more money, and even fantasy football (and the money and interest that comes with it). Sure, the end result might be fewer injuries, but the motivations are not as noble as you might assume.