Maybe mascots scrimmaging young football players for half-time entertainment is a bad idea?

Football is back. College football games kicked off week zero on Saturday, and the NFL preseason ends today. With the return of football comes the return of halftime, which demands entertainment. On Saturday we saw at least two scrums between young football players and mascots. We know these two because they both provided cringe-worthy highlights.

First, during the Atlanta Falcons-Jacksonville Jaguars preseason game, Atlanta Braves mascot Blooper destroyed a group of kids over a long stretch.

It’s a funny visual, but it’s also an adult hitting three kids in the head with impunity so who’s to say if that’s good or not? So the only question we can really ask ourselves is is this the best case scenario? An adult asserting his dominance over a group of children while dressed as a furry mutant snork? Presumably. And if that’s the best of times, here’s the worst.

It was Baltimore Ravens mascot Poe who injured his knee after being tackled by a young football player at halftime in the Ravens-Commanders game. He was taken off the field on a cart. While wearing his giant bird head.

Again, very funny visual. But she’s also a real person inside that suit who’s about to face months of medical and rehab bills.

I would say we might want to put an end to this practice, but what’s the point? People know the risks of letting their kids play tackle football. The game is so dangerous that good players most often avoid playing it for fear of injury. And I’m sure anyone in a mascot costume has signed a waiver knowing that blowing your knee is far less likely than knowing the glory of running over a small child.

So schedule more. This is America after all. Let freedom ring, just like the bells of those little children.