Isnt it getting a little rediculous that the NFL has to mandate that all players must wear thigh , knee and hip pads starting in 2013 . These pads have been worn in the NFL going back to the fifties and sixties ! Now , literally five decades later , the league has to lead these players around by the hands like little kids on a playground and tell them , dont forget to wear your pads . Its utterly rediculous . These are supposed to be grown men that can think for themselves . Unfortunately , they cant . Todays players would rather risk a career ending knee or hip injury , just so their uniform looks more form fitting on your HD TV . Linebackers and receivers havent worn these pads in years , then after their career is over they have the audacity to try and sue the league because they sustained one to many knee and hip injuries over the course of their career . Bottom line , at the end of the day , if a player is not going to advantage of the safety equipment that is available to them , then dont stand and bitch about it later on in life , when youre walking with a cane because of all the leg injuries you received during your playing days . You cant have it both ways .