Sammy Watkins

Bills GM Doug Whaley doesn't think 'humans are supposed to play' football

Published May. 24, 2016 1:15 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

When it comes to safety, the NFL is doing all it can to prevent player injuries and minimize the risks of playing football. Nothing can change the violent nature of super-athletic men running full speed into each other, though. Players know it. Roger Goodell knows it. Fans know it. Not everyone will come out and say how dangerous of a game it is, but Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley will -- and he did.

"This is the game of football," Whaley told WGR 550 radio. "Injuries are part of it. It's a violent game that I personally don't think humans are supposed to play."

Sure, executives have admitted the dangers of playing football. Even Goodell has done that. But hearing Whaley say it's a sport that humans aren't meant to play is alarming. His comment stemmed from a question regarding Sammy Watkins being injury-prone.

"I wouldn't say [he's injury-prone]. If you look at his game log, he's only missed three games," Whaley said. "So is he injury-prone? I wouldn't say that. Are things going to come up with a guy like this? We hope that gets limited in the future."

Of course, some are attaching that label to Watkins because he had offseason surgery to repair a broken foot and is expected to miss some time. But like Whaley said, Watkins has missed only three games in his career despite dealing with a laundry list of injuries.

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Sammy Watkins

Buffalo Bills

National Football League