[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Football shoulder pads (shown) have a hard plastic shield that covers the ribcage and protects the zyphoid.
A sharp, focused blow just below the heart (see Melians image) would be distributed thru-out that plastic shield.
The "touch of death" is not an issue here.
An example of a "lineman's" set as approved by the NFL:

[stylin19a]

cornerback shoulder pads have a tendency to go lighter and shorter but they still have a cover of the chest.