NFL, NFLPA hold mandatory player safety meeting

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FOXBORO - Player safety is a hot-button topic around the NFL, and it always will be.

It seems like every week a big-name player headlines a long list of injuries from that weekend. The Patriots can certainly tell you that much, as they've dealt with countless injuries to key players on a weekly basis.

In fact, two key members of their offense, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, have been ruled out for next week, while Dion Lewis is already out for the remainder of the season.

Of course, there are plenty of more serious health concerns than a broken foot or sprained knee that players want to be sure is handled to the best ability not only now but in the future.

On Friday, the NFL and NFLPA announced that players would take part in a mandatory survey regarding their thoughts on some health and safety-related topics. It would happen at 12 p.m. and teams would have to adjust their schedules around it.

Here's the full joint statement:

"In support of our shared commitment to player health and safety, the NFL and NFL Players Association jointly retained a third-party company to design and administer to all NFL players a survey asking their opinions and experiences on a wide range of health and safety-related topics. Each response will be maintained in the strictest confidence, and the overall results will remain confidential. The parties will use the results to identify areas that are working well and those in need of improvement. Where appropriate selected data may be shared with the teams' medical staffs. This exercise is required by the parties' 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement."

Essentially, both sides will gather the information, reassess, and go from there.

Penn Live's Jacob Klinger got some details from Steelers players on what the survey entailed:

Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones said the survey included bubble-in answers in a "somewhat satisfied, very satisfied" format as well as an open write-in section.

Topics covered in the survey included the extent to which players and training staff follow concussion protocol, the availability of soap and clean towels to players and the cleanliness of team and opposing teams' facilities.

Sounds like your typical survey.

Patriots player rep Matthew Slater was in the locker room on Friday and briefly discussed the meeting.

"Without going into too much detail, I think our union is always going to work towards doing what's best for our players as far as health, safety, and overall player wellness," Slater said. "And I think that's been something that [Executive Director of the NFLPA DeMaurice Smith] has been passionate about since he's gotten in office and I think that's something that needs to continue. You're never going to reach a point of satisfaction with that. It's something that's ever evolving, ever changing, so little things like that hopefully at the end of the day will help us make progress towards a great situation for our players.

Earlier this season, Slater spoke out against playing in Thursday night games, citing player safety as a reason.

"I can't sit here as the player rep for this team and say that I'm a huge fan of it," Slater said then. "Obviously it puts our players in a bind, but I understand why it's being done. I understand that we want to make this game available to our fans as often as possible. But you talk about player safety and health and it's hard for us to understand how (Thursday night games) are catering toward our safety and health."

As for Friday's meeting and survey, Slater said it remains to be seen what effect it will have. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL held a similar survey in 2004.

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