The NFL despatched a memo to golf equipment this week reaffirming its crackdown on taunting and insisting that it’s going to proceed till gamers change their habits.
The influence of the NFL’s factors of emphasis sometimes fade over the course of the season, as gamers regulate and league officers develop happy with the outcomes. However the pattern has accelerated this season, with almost half of the overall penalties being known as prior to now three weeks. General, there have been 35 taunting flags this season, tied for essentially the most via 10 weeks since no less than 2000, based on ESPN Stats & Data analysis. That features 16 in Weeks 8-10.
“Applicable celebration, enthusiasm and sharing nice moments with our teammates and followers is inspired,” NFL senior vice chairman of officiating coaching and improvement Walt Anderson stated in an accompanying video. “The emphasis by the NFL to discourage acts of taunting or disrespect, whenever you direct actions towards an opponent or his bench, will proceed. Officers are instructed to name fouls on actions that show that disrespect.”
The league carried out some extent of emphasis on taunting this season on the behest of its coaches subcommittee, and lots of coaches have spoken in favor of it this season, together with the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ Mike Tomlin, the Indianapolis Colts‘ Frank Reich and the Chicago Bears‘ Matt Nagy. New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, alternatively, instructed the Dan Patrick present on Thursday that he thought the foul was being “over-officiated.”
Within the accompanying video, Anderson lauded two sack celebrations by Steelers move rusher T.J. Watt, who on every event ran in the other way of his opponent earlier than celebrating. The video additionally included a number of examples of what Anderson and senior vice chairman of officiating Perry Fewell stated the league is trying to root out. Amongst them was a clip of Chicago Bears defensive finish Mario Edwards standing over and pointing a finger at Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“Keep away from any actions the place you strategy an opponent or his bench and gesture, posture or in any other case show any verbal or bodily type of disrespect,” Anderson stated within the video. “Flip away. Take the chance to have fun along with your teammates and do not put officers within the place of getting to make a judgment about whether or not or not your actions rise to the extent of a foul. Take away all doubt and do not put your self or your workforce susceptible to a penalty.”
The video didn’t embody a controversial determination by referee Tony Corrente to penalize Bears move rusher Cassius Marsh for taunting after a key fourth quarter sack within the Bears’ 29-27loss to the Steelers in Week 9, however Fewell had beforehand introduced his help for the choice. Within the video, Anderson stated the emphasis towards taunting is according to setting a greater instance for different ranges of soccer.
“When our youth see us making a terrific play after which displaying up an opponent,” he stated, “that sends the message to them that such habits is OK. However that isn’t the message that we wish to promote for our nice recreation.”