The Halo Rule

Posted by Jayme Joers on August 16, 2010 Jump To Comments

According to Merriam – Webster’s Dictionary a halo is: “a circle of light appearing to surround the sun or moon; the aura of glory, veneration, or sentiment surrounding an idealized person or thing”. In video game land, it refers to a game that I will never understand. When found in art it generally is used to depict an angelic or holy figure. In football terms it’s an imaginary three yard circle that surrounds a kick returner.

I’m sure halos have their place in art, video games, and describing cosmic events; however, they have no place in football.

There is no halo rule in the NFL. There isn’t even a halo rule in NCAA football anymore. I get the point, you’re sticking a basically defenseless man out in the middle of the field, while about 20 men to run at him full speed and said man is not allowed to flinch, his sole job is to stare up and catch a ball. I get the logic, give him some space, but quite honestly I don’t want my returner to need space.

It takes a certain breed of person to be an NFL player, to put one’s body through hell week in and week out. Out of that group it takes an even crazier person to become a kick returner. But that’s the thing; a kick returner needs to be a little crazy. They need to be someone without fear (or at least someone who can show no fear). This is not a person, who by any definition should be associated with a halo (I guess unless he really likes the game in his spare time – to each his own).

But I digress; I want my kick returner to be a weather tested, rugged man, who isn’t afraid to catch the ball. Yes, this person needs to be fast and nimble, but speed and skill will only get you so far if you can’t catch the ball. I want this man to be the exact opposite of a halo reference.

After his far from stellar performance in last Saturday’s preseason game versus the Browns, Sam Shields told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel the following about one of his return attempts: “I should be just keeping my eye on the ball. I was worried about what was going on around me rather than just keeping an eye on the ball.”

These are not encouraging words.

I do believe that Shields is a talented football player, just not a returner. Not yet. He has the speed and agility. But if he’s ever going to be our returner, or anyone’s, he needs ice running through his blood. He needs to ditch the halo, the need for comfort, for softness, the angelic reference, and “man up”. I call it the Clint Eastwood factor. I would trust Clint Eastwood as my returner in a heart beat. There’s a man who’d step in front of those gunners and catch the ball without batting an eye.

And a halo on Clint Eastwood just looks wrong.