The NFL [Not For Long] has inoperable cancer, its dead! But, if it can get behavior with the expressed purpose to harm and maim out of the game it might last 10 or 20 years longer.
If Barr was playing tackle football with family on T'giving, he would make the tackle without the pile driving [assuming he not an animal at his core]. The league can do something about it; but the biggest obstacle is the Union.
Though "management" I'm profoundly pro-union. You can bet my competitors would stick10 YOs in the coalmine if it meant they make an extra $10 per, so the unions are important. But, unions do the same thing management does. Instead of maximizing profit without morality, they try to maximize their popularity among the rank and file at all cost. So they fight for guys, for example, that get drunk on the job instead of rooting them out and taking pride in a real American work force that one can be proud of. It is the behavior of unions that is causing their own extinction.
The NLFPA are morons and are expediting their own extinction too. For example, the way players had to practice was probably abuse, so curbing this was a very worthy endeavor; but they took it too far and actually are harming their rank and file. The Owners school them every time. The current limits on practice increases injury and kills the ability of back-ups to shine when they get a chance. Owners don't care because each team is equally affected and they save money. Take Lane Taylor, based on his few snaps, they were able to extend him for $1.25M x 2, some complained 😂. Had Taylor been allowed to get hundreds of reps each week, when he got a chance to play in a few games, he'd wow us and the other team's scouts and GB wouldnt have been able to extend him for 2 x 1.25.
Here' how my NFLPA would work. We'd have our own disciplinary procedures. Zekey boy you want to grab some breast, we have a hearing and boot yer ass out [He can apply for reinstatement in a year]. Now Zeke is on his own to bargain against the NFL. If Zeke is exonerated, then the union fights for him.
Trevathen should have been disciplined by the Union for his illegal behavior that brought harm to another union member [There'd be a demerit system resulting in suspensions, fines and ultimately in expulsion]. Barr purposefully pile drove and hurt another union member. How does the Union not do something about this?
At the end of the day if the Union and NFL are on the same page about player conduct on and off the field; and reinforce it with the help of the union more than the owners and it will extend the life of the doomed NFL. The NLFPA talks of brotherhood; but somehow 100% disconnects this the idea of causing harm to one another tackling on the field. There'd be no need for GB to retaliate if 5 or 6 Bears/Vikings got it Trevathen/Barr's face, telling then they better stop trying to hurt their brother.
As it is right now the union fights for their guy no matter. Barr could have tackled Rodgers, took off Rodgers' helmut, grasped it by the facemask and whipped it around over and over caving in Rodgers' skull and the NFLPA will fight to limit Barr's suspension. The Union's view toward excessive hitting ratifies and encourages further excessive hitting and their expedited extinction.