[navbaker]

Saying it would be "unpopular" is an understatement. If someone has never spent time around football fans or lived in an area of the country where football is king, it's hard to explain exactly how ingrained it is in American culture. Trying to offramp a large amount of the population into a less violent sport would likely immediately be highly politicized and, I would assume, an almost impossible task without a significant, voluntary change in peoples' willingness to sacrifice their thrilling weekend of violence for the good of all these kids that grow up trying to be the next NFL pro.

[richk449]

Solution: require a surgical mask to be worn under football helmet.

You would have football boycotts in no time.

[christophilus]

College football required all players to mask in 2020 except when on the field of play. The only boycotts that happened were due to the national anthem situation.

[sangnoir]

Seems like that's a better "solution": mandate that all players and spectators kneel for the anthem