NEW YORK — The NFL players union says the average number of injuries has risen during the 2010 season.
In a report released Friday called “Dangers of the Game of Football,” the NFLPA says injuries increased from 3.2 to 3.7 per week per team and the share of players injured increased to 63 percent compared to a 2002-09 average of 59 percent.
The report also shows that 13 percent of all injuries required players to be placed on injured reserve this season, compared to an average of 10 percent for 2002-09. The union says that indicates the injuries are more serious than in past years.
The analysis is based on data from NFL Weeks 1 through 16 from Football Outsiders, which compiles information from the publicly available in weekly injury reports.
The NFL also compiles such data. Its numbers also show more players on IR than in recent years: 464 for the season, up from 388 the previous year, 416 in 2008 and 413 in 2007.
“Player contracts are not guaranteed, even as injury rates rise, which means careers face sudden ends each time the ball is snapped,” union medical director Dr. Thom Mayer said.
