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Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms urges NFL to make changes to ‘rough passing’ penalty, saying it’s ‘ruining the sport’
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms urges NFL to make changes to ‘rough passing’ penalty, saying it’s ‘ruining the sport’
The NFL “isn’t going to give up on protecting the quarterback,” following criticism of recent “passer smashing” penalties called in games.
Setter roughing penalties are called when an official on the field judges that a defensive player has made illegal contact with the quarterback. The NFL rulebook also notes, “When in doubt about a hard call or potentially dangerous tactic against the quarterback, the umpire should always hard call the setter.”
But the rule has once again become a hot topic in the league after a number of penalties called in Week 5 – one involving 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady – that were deemed too soft. .
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is fired by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Grady Jarrett
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who was flagged for a seemingly innocuous sacking on Brady, said he was left “clueless” by the call, while the former quarterback NFL Chris Simms says the referee’s calls are “ruining the sport.”
But at the NFL’s Fall League meeting in New York on Tuesday, executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said the league was “not changing the philosophy around this call.”
Vincent said, “Everyone knows if your quarterback isn’t healthy, you have no chance of winning… We’re not going to give up on protecting the quarterback.”
Asked specifically about Jarrett’s penalty on Brady, Vincent added that it’s one you “wouldn’t like to see” but “philosophically you can support it”.
“The game doesn’t get any smoother,” he said. “It’s a different game. It’s a safer game.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has backed the league’s protection of quarterbacks after recent criticism over passer penalties
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell responded in the same vein to Vincent, saying, “We don’t back down to protect players who are in a helpless position or in an exposed position that could lead to injury. And we will remove these techniques from the game.”
“We had fewer calls than in the past. There have been no rule changes.”
Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, told reporters that passer-roughing penalties were actually down from years past at this point in the season. In week six, there were 53 in 2018, 59 in 2019, 43 in 2020, 52 in 2021 and 38 so far in 2022, according to McKay.
The league is to review setter rouging as a rule this offseason, but said no changes would be made this season.
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