NFL needs to stop taunting us with all these celebration penalties
HOUSTON – Roger Goodell laughed as he pondered a particularly long-winded question about the NFL’s iron-clad laws governing celebrations, but this was hardly a sign the commissioner is loosening up on the issue.
In fact, any minute now, Goodell may press for a tweak in the rulebook that actually bans laughing as a means to celebrate a touchdown in the No Fun League.
You know, laughing can be dangerous, interpreted as taunting, which can lead to fights.
Seriously, some of the celebration-related penalties that have come down this season – with taunting ID’d as an officiating point of emphasis – have crossed the line into the ridiculous zone.
Sure, it’s in bad taste to trash-talk the cornerback you just burned.
But shooting an imaginary bow-and-arrow? Flexing your biceps? Removing your helmet while running to your bench after leaving the end zone?
Cut ‘em some slack, NFL.
“I don’t think there’s been a year where we didn’t look at this issue,” Goodell said, pretty much dismissing the suggestion as the NFL wrapped up its two-day fall meeting on Tuesday. “It comes down to balancing a lot of issues including the professional standards that we want to uphold. Our players are role models and others look at that at the youth level, so that’s important for us to hold that standard up, and it’s part of being professional.”
Some acts don’t need to be seen on the football field, like the sexually suggestive twerking that has landed Pittsburgh Steelers wideout (and Dancing With The Stars vet) Antonio Brown in hot water.
But when Washington tight end Vernon Davis gets flagged 15 yards for a harmless little fadeaway jumper, or cornerback Josh Norman gets flagged and fined $10,000 for his archery imitation – which be the way, New Orleans Saints receiver Brandin Cooks has done without getting flagged – there’s an adjustment in order.
The Davis penalty, on Sunday against Philadelphia, led to a short field on the ensuing kickoff that the Eagles returned for a touchdown.
Where’s the flag for excessive penalty yardage? It’s a bit out of whack when a penalty yardage for a player removing his helmet is the same as it is for some egregious helmet-to-helmet blow.
“On the celebrations and taunting, maybe we’ve stepped down a little too hard,” Houston Texans owner Robert McNair told Paste BN Sports, “and had too many penalties.”
McNair echoed what other owners have mentioned while addressing the vibe around the serious national anthem protests that some players have engaged in, that the NFL is in the entertainment business.
“I’m sure the rule started out to prevent fighting,” McNair added.
Clearly, the NFL has had increasing concerns about on-field celebrations escalating to the extent that they invite retaliation. That’s why taunting was one of the points of emphasis this season.
Taunting penalties are on the rise when compared to a similar point last season, as Goodell alluded to. Through six weeks, players have been flagged 19 times for taunting, compared to 11 at the same point in 2015.
This, while two other infractions tagged as points of emphasis – roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness – have decreasing numbers. Roughing the passer calls have dipped from 42 to 32; unnecessary roughness flags are down from 96 to 69, compared to the six-week mark last year.
“All of these rules will be looked at,” Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan told Paste BN Sports. “Frankly, they should. The commissioner’s got to look at it from the big picture. But when you’re a club, you look at it from a different view.”
Khan recalled a 15-yard penalty that one of his star receivers, Allen Robinson, received for spinning the football on the turf. Taunting.
“Most teams have had that,” he said. “And when it’s happening to you, you don’t like it.”
The NFL has been diligent in explaining the rule – and what’s allowable, like the Lambeau Leap – to players, coaches and fans. But there still needs to be some tweaking – not twerking – with the yardage and even what’s probihited.
After all, a Tom Brady moment when he mimicked Olympian Usain Bolt’s signature lightning bolt pose was allowed, but Carlos Hyde’s flexing was flagged.
Cleveland Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins’ gesture after a touchdown against New England earlier this month fell right in line.
Hawkins placed the football on the turf and walked away like a robot. Message sent.
“Rules are rules,” Hawkins told Cleveland.com. “”I thought it would be funny to do that and troll the whole situation.”
Now that was worth a laugh
Follow NFL columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell
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