Although the NFL is pretty physical today, it is nothing compared to the 1970s. During that time, the game used to be played differently, with barely any safety reforms. Recently, a clip of the CBS NFL intro from 1977 has been circulating on the internet. Watching it, former Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn shared his views that players from that era need to be compensated.

Yes indeedy!!! I remember seeing some of those gladiators coming in the locker room or practice from having hip surgery or mangled fingers, real dudes💪💯🙏 Glad they changed the game for the safety of the players👍Every single one of those men need to compensated appropriately!

The NFL has always had safety rules. However, since 2002, a major shift occurred, with the league bringing in more than fifty rules to make the game less injury-prone. As the years passed, they banned hip tackles, made guardian caps in training a must, and also established the concussion protocol.

But there were fewer rules in the 1970s. Players got brutally dragged down by their helmets, got stomped on their backs while on the ground, got supplexed, and many more dangerous acts that can cause accidents at any moment. Anything like that today will lead to penalties. Not only penalties, fines, and suspension can also take place. Since those players went through such a tough period, Dunn wants them to be compensated properly. They put their bodies through different struggles.

Dunn himself was a player from the mid-1990s. Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1996. Fast forward three years, and he suffered a season-ending knee injury, missing out on the whole 1999 season. So, the tight end knows how difficult it can be for a player who missed game time because of an injury. He returned the next season as a Chiefs player. He stayed in Kansas City until his retirement in 2007.

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Despite the safety norms, injuries still happen. NFL is a high-contact game, and players do miss the entire season because of injuries.  But compared to the past, the seriousness of it has reduced. They don’t get stomped or tackled down by their helmet against the direction of their body. While a former Chiefs player is making headlines for his admission, fans have yet to hear one from a current one.

Andy Reid is optimistic about Travis Kelce despite his being silent

Similar to Jason Dunn, Travis Kelce is also a tight end. Kelce has been in the news for months now because of his uncertain future. The 36-year-old is yet to give a clear answer whether he will return or hang up his cleats permanently. While questions are piling up, head coach Andy Reid has some insights on the tight end.

“There is communication,” Reid said via Zoom. “That’s the main thing. I’ve said this before to you: as long as there’s communication, I’m good. That means people want to move forward, and I think that’s where Trav is.”

Reid is optimistic about Kelce’s return. He mentioned that the franchise is communicating with the tight end. They have given him time since the end of the season, and are willing to walk that path even now. There’s no hurry, as Reid does not want to put words in Kelce’s mouth. Even the close ones of Kelce believes he will return.

Kelce’s retirement chatter has been going on since 2024. But he returned in 2025, recording 851 yards in 76 receptions and scoring 5 touchdowns. Despite not hitting the 1,000-yard mark for consecutive seasons, he did finish fourth in the league among all tight ends. No. 87 has mentioned in his podcast, New Heights, that he feels he still has fuel for 21 games left in him.

The four-time All-Pro has been one of the best players in the Chiefs’ history. He helped the franchise break out of the five-decade Super Bowl drought. Later, he also won two more Super Bowls, making the Chiefs one of the most successful franchises of the last few years. However, last season, the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. So, it remains to be seen whether Kelce returns to help the franchise get back in the Super Bowl race, or if his 13th season be his last.