Why is it that "professional football player" is the only career where you can voluntarily put your safety at risk for lots of money, and then sue for more money if you actually get hurt?

Why does everyone involved want to play a game that is popular because it is dangerous and flashy, take out the danger and the flash and then expect to still be popular and to make the same amount of money?

Why is the only solution to the problem "punish the very people you are trying to protect" instead of "improve the gear," "require longer injury times" or "add a second bye week?"

None of this makes any sense to me.