The NFL has come out with a rule book pertaining to what is and isn’t allowed in the league. The new rule book reads like an “Everything You Can Imagine Is Absolutely Prohibited” list, but it’s really just another way for football’s old guard to exert control over the game.
The NFL’s crackdown on taunting has been met with a collective eye roll from those who love the league. The new rule is being looked at as an unnecessary regulation that will have little impact on enhancing player health and safety.
The “NFL’s Crackdown on Taunting Has NFL Fans Collectively Rolling Their Eyes at the New Rule.” The new rule states that players can be fined $25,000 for celebrations deemed offensive.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is once again causing consternation among fans. The league’s top man is back in a more comfortable position after a fairly successful pandemic-riddled 2021 season.
This time, the displeasure comes from a combination of fans, players, and coaches. The present taunting crackdown, as well as the accompanying regulation, has the potential to alter game results. Is it fair for the NFL and Goodell to place so much emphasis on players’ on-field behavior?
The origins of the NFL’s taunting ban
The NFL Competition Committee, which Goodell appoints from the ranks of owners, general managers, and head coaches, has long debated how to deal with taunting. Owners reportedly put pressure on the NFL to deal with poor conduct on the field, according to Sports Illustrated.
“We get sort of sick and weary of the taunting that does go on from time to time on the field,” said John Mara, owner of the New York Giants and a member of the Competition Committee. “We tried to strike a balance between sportsmanship and enabling the players to enjoy themselves, and there’s always a narrow line to walk, but none of us want to see that.”
Referees must use their judgment to determine whether a player’s taunting is “extreme.” It’s accompanied by a 15-yard penalty, which might decide the result of a tight game. The Committee’s major purpose was to urge referees to implement the rule more often so that tension between plays might be reduced before issues arose.
The new taunting rule has angered NFL fans, players, and coaches.
The heightened execution of the regulation is immediately disliked by fans. Fans throughout the league seemed to be nearly unanimously opposed to the adjustment on Reddit. One Redditor remarked, “It’s stuff like these that make me feel like I’ve got an expiry date as a fan.” “Such ludicrous penalties jolt me out of it and make me wonder why I bother to watch in the first place.”
Coaches, according to Seattle Times writer Bob Condotta, are also irritated. Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach, really agreed with a taunting call against his squad. But only in the sense that it followed the regulation to the letter, its enforcement “opened up a bag of worms that we don’t like.”
On @710ESPNSeattle, Carroll expresses his concern that the NFL has “opened up a bag of worms that we don’t like.” Despite the new taunting rule, the call on D.J. Reed was valid, according to the wording of the new rule.
September 20, 2021 — Bob Condotta (@bcondotta)
D.J. Reed, the player in issue, was penalized 15 yards after celebrating a pass breakup. It wasn’t even close to being taunting, and it was no different than a response you’d see in any professional sport after a huge event. That includes the presently permitted touchdown celebrations, though the league is still tweaking those regulations, according to Complex.
Should the NFL’s anti-taunting rule be maintained?
Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers makes a gesture at D.J. Reader of the Cincinnati Bengals | Dylan Buell/Getty Images
According to the New York Times, players and coaches were given enough notice before the season began that taunting calls will be quick and frequent in 2021. Even large-scale protests will be ineffective in reversing the trend. After all, Goodell views public shaming of fans to be a necessary part of his job. He even enjoys it.
However, trash talking is an unavoidable element of athletics. Especially one as tough, harsh, and unpleasant as the NFL’s type of football. In this scenario, head coach Mike Tomlin trash-talked his own kicker in order to help him regain confidence — and it worked. Should a taunting rule be enforced in situations when it may provide positive results?
But the most crucial component of the regulation that Goodell must examine is how it will affect games. Fair results are preferred by fans. In the case of the Seahawks’ Reed incident, the decision created an awkward situation.
The Seahawks lost the game in overtime, 33-30, with a 15-yard penalty being the key factor. Is it really worth it if it makes the games less exciting and compelling to watch? When the Competition Committee processes all of the data — and complaints — we’ll know next season.
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The “NFL taunting penalties 2021” is a new rule that has been implemented by the NFL to prevent players from taunting. The rule was met with mixed reactions, as some people believe it will be less violent and others are just not sure about it. Reference: nfl taunting penalties 2021.
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