Why do American Footballers where all that padding whereas our Rugby chaps just wear a tshirt and shorts?

Question

I just think our Rugby chaps are proper men who don't padded shoulders to look menacing. Or do American Footballers have to wear it to avoid litigation??

As they say "where there's blame there's a claim!!!

Answer 1

They wear all the padding because they're frightened of getting a little bruisy woosy

Answer 2

I've played both sports, i reckon its because of the style of play, most people dont realise how much restraint goes into rugby, whereas if u watch american football, everyone dives head first into each other.

And when u play rugby, ur trying to get the ball in open play, easiest way is to pull the carrier to the ground, in american football u just have to stop them running past you, easiest way to do that is to hammer them as hard as u can.

Answer 3

What they call "American Football" (which is a total misnoma, since it is not football!) is not even a proper sport, but part of the American show business. Very much like gladiator games in the Roman circuses.
And since it is also dangerous, people try to protect themselves.

Rugby is not without risks either, but truly a sport and not a silly show like almost all American "sports".

Answer 4

American football players are like 3 times the size of the little rugby boys so there for they hit a lot harder... Isnt rugby a girls sport anyways???LOL.. I would love to see a team of american football players and rugby ("chaps" ROFL) go at it... then you would see why we wear pads.

Answer 5

I don't know much about Rugby, but when a professional American football team is paying a player $12 million per year, they want to make sure he's able to play.

Answer 6

I reckon it's because American footballers can quite happily pile in head first, whereas generally it's the lower the better in Rugby, and of course head high tackles are illegal.

I really hope I'm wrong and it's something to do with lawsuits!

Answer 7

Because Englishmen are more manly than American men. They don't need padding. And Americans are so pigheaded that their football players want to look as mean and intimidating as possible. Kudos to Rugby players!


P.S. I'm American.

Answer 8

Being as US Football is a bit more physical than rugby.... AF is a totally different sport, so the ball may be a similar shape but that's where the similarity ends. Tackling is different, there's more blocking... Would you want a 350lb guy coming at you without protection? I certainly wouldn't....

Answer 9

It's because American Football used to be stupidly dangerous before people started to get safety concious. In 1905 there were 23 football deaths, but nowadays football fatalities are rare.

Answer 10

Our football players prefer to stay in the game for as long as possible as to appease fans and be there for important games. Unlike rugby and soccer, we prefer it if our players are not injured and are contributing to the game in their best healthy and physical states. I would like to see your rugby player play our football (270 lb. men verses 180 lb. men) in his usual rugby uniform and see how long he'll be wearing no protection. He'll be lucky if he doesn't end up in the emergency room.

I go to college here in America and there are a lot of guys have played both football and rugby. It's just common sense because of the style of play that in football it'd be best if you wore protection.

Answer 11

It is because the american football players are little wimps, unlike rugby players or real footballers.