"Doug Plank caused a lot of damage on the football field. He was the heat-seeking headhunter of his time, and to this day, he cautions his wife not to toss around their surname at public functions.

Too often she'll meet people whose lives were touched by her husband. Like the ex-player whose ribs were so bruised that he couldn't sneeze for a year.

"I'll tell you the one hit I'm not proud of," Plank said. "J.D. Hill, who graduated from Arizona State University, his career ended with the Lions because of a hit I administered to him at Soldier Field.

"I came up from my safety spot, and hit him low. I basically ruined his career by rupturing his ligaments and tearing the cartilage in his knee. And as I saw him grimacing in pain on the field, I said I would never, ever do that to another player. If I hit him above the waist, at least he's coming back. His career isn't going to be ended."

The story resonates on many levels. Once again, guys such as Plank represent the scourge of the NFL. In the wake of one of the more-violent Sundays in memory, the league is rushing to cover its backside, lest a player become a vegetable on live television.

The midweek frenzy illustrates how scared the NFL is by all the collisions and concussions, and some players aren't exactly tickled by the heavy-handed response. Former Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle said the league's reaction was "absolutely ridiculous." The Cardinals' Adrian Wilson, another player who loves to hit with his shoulder, said he wasn't going to change a thing. Wilson's teammate, Joey Porter, is wondering what happened to the "gladiator" mentality of football. It's clear that those delivering the hits are disturbed by the new policy.

"To be honest, I don't even know what's legal anymore," Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes said."