Sometimes, when developing Front Office Football, I spend a day or maybe a little more going through my notebook of ideas for small new features. Today has been one of those days.
This year, all the preseason buzz has been about the National Anthem, it seems. And apparently, EA Sports has the same type of development structure, as they have promised the next Madden Football game will include players who refuse to stand for the Anthem.
I get that it’s a major topic of conversation and one of those touches people who appreciate the details in games will enjoy. I’m not going to mention or include any Anthem controversy in Front Office Football, however. I just don’t think it’s something that lends itself well to a simulation, and I try to remain as politically neutral as possible when it comes to my products. Rest assured that you’ll never have half a season wiped out in Front Office Football due to monsoons created by rampant global warming. Or religious conflicts creating bad team chemistry. I even removed the rare suspension related to Hillary Clinton many years ago after she first ran for president, just in case people felt I was trying to make some sort of statement.
One item that’s in my notebook, however, is also a rather depressing topic. Last year’s off-season, when we weren’t debating Ideal Gas Law, was dominated by concussions. A few players have retired because of repeated concussions, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a real life-long concern for those who have been hit one too many times.
The NFL has adopted a concussion protocol. If you saw the Rams’ Case Keenum last November clearly struggling after a sack, you know the NFL still has more work to do here – and they’ve promised stiff fines against teams that refuse to pull a player suspected of being concussed.
I’ve added a concussion protocol to Front Office Football. If a player is diagnosed with a concussion, he’s probably not going back into the game. And he’s not returning to your lineup until he’s clear of symptoms (you’ll get a fairly good estimate of how long that will be after the game). Concussions will make players a little more injury-prone. Players who have suffered several concussions will be more likely to retire at the end of the year. You’ll see that in the form of medical retirements.
Hopefully, this feature makes Front Office Football a slightly stronger simulation.