NFL officials are discussing allowing ejections as a punishment for roughing-the-passer penalties
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NFL officials are discussing allowing ejections as punishment for penalizing the passer next season … but the former player warns that ‘pursuing perfection’ in the game is ‘dangerous’
The NFL is considering ejections for penalties for roughing the passer and hitting defenseless players, though league executive Troy Vincent expressed caution about how such decisions would be applied.
Vincent, a former player, told NFL owners’ meetings Wednesday that the ejections were part of a discussion that included roughing calls to the passer between reviewable plays.
“The referees, I have to say, have been pretty consistent and very accurate in making that decision,” said Vincent, the league’s vice president of soccer operations. ‘But they are human.’
The NFL is considering making the penalty for roughing the passer much more severe.
Any changes would not happen until the offseason, Vincent said, adding that any changes would have to be weighed against the length of games and other factors.
“It’s a personal foul and there are a lot of fouls in that category,” Vincent said. ‘Where does it end? Again, the most impactful play in soccer is pass interference. Now we begin to include the personal foul. But that’s why we’ll discuss it. I will look forward to this discussion.’
When asked how realistic it would be for the NFL to adopt a rule similar to the college guidance call, Vincent was skeptical. He said he was speaking more as a former player than someone considering a rule change in the competition committee.
Bruising the passer is a ‘personal foul’ resulting in a 15-yard penalty and first down.
Vincent said the replay center should continue to assist calls that have already been made, rather than decide those calls.
The NFL made pass interference reviewable for only one season before reversing that decision.
“I think chasing perfection is a dangerous place for the National Football League and, frankly, for officiating,” Vincent said. ‘And that’s what happens with cameras, replay. You start out chasing perfection, which is not a good place to play.’
League executives believe chasing perfection ‘is a dangerous place for the NFL’