EDITOR'S NOTE: Each week, The Daily's RJ Young and MJ Casiano debate the biggest question in sports. This week, Young and Casiano debate whether the new high fines and automatic suspensions for flagrant and helmet-to-helmet fouls are good for the NFL.

MJ says yes

This week has started a huge debate on whether the NFL should look past helmet-to-helmet hits or implement a monetary fine and suspension policy.

And for good reason.

Three painful hits to the head have knocked players out of action and has team doctors thinking long term for these player’s futures.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson said he doesn’t even remember the vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson that sent both of them to the locker room.

Unfortunately, he may not have much memory of anything once he reaches elder status based on a Canadian study that says these multiple concussions will ultimately lead to poor health.

Athletes who suffer a concussion can experience a decline in their mental and physical processes more than 30 years later, according to the journal Brain.

That’s exactly what the NFL is based off of today: current injuries turning into future pain and uncomfort.

Not only do these late hits turn into physical ailments, but it can make the wallet hurt as well.

Patriots’ safety Brandon Meriweather makes an average weekly salary of around $32,000 but was fined $50,000 by the NFL for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Ravens tight end Todd Heap. That means for his hit — described as unnecessary — on Heap, he actually paid the league around $18,000 to participate in the game.

That’s an expensive seat.

Robinson was also fined $50,000 this week for his hit on Jackson that was so violent Jackson has been listed as inactive for their game this week with a concussion.

The difference on this play was Robinson was going full speed, and even though he didn’t launch, he did collide helmets.

In this case, Robinson’s average weekly salary this year is just under $300,000, so the measly fine doesn’t do anything to his pocket.

That’s basically like Robinson treating one of us to a McDouble from McDonald’s.

Sometimes the league should fine based on a percentage basis.

Steelers linebacker James Harrison, on the other hand, seemed to have attempted to hurt Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi. Harrison makes just under $45,000 a week, and his $75,000 fine equates to him paying the NFL around $30,000 to play in that game.

If you thought Meriweather’s seat was expensive, then Harrison’s should have come with a complimentary Mercedes-Benz.

Harrison has threatened to quit the game of football because he doesn’t know if he can adjust to the tweaked NFL rules.

“James is very concerned about how to play football,” said Bill Parise, Harrison’s agent, in an interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “If James is going to be fined $75,000 for making a legal tackle, then how do you go play football?”

Coaches teach players to tackle with their helmet going around the belly-button area.

Now, I’m not math major but I believe that is about a three-foot difference.

In the end, the player’s health is what’s most important and until the NFL starts to suspend and fine every player that intentionally or unintentionally goes helmet-to-helmet on a defensive-less player, nobody will take this criticism seriously.

RJ says no

Read RJ's argument against the high fines and automatic suspensions here.