What have your experiences been with pee wee football?

My son who will be 8 when football starts, says he wants to play football, but he is scared of getting hurt. His friends are all playing and want him to play. How do I get him to understand that the padding really does help. I'm not forcing him to play, but he is just so indecisive. He is reading this too and he would like to know what other kids/parents experiences have been to help him make his decision. Thankyou!