NFL shares reason for roughing the passer calls
Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL has come under increasing scrutiny for perceived weak roughing the passer calls in recent weeks, and one league official offered a blunt response to that on Tuesday.
NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent did not mince words when he revealed the ultimate purpose behind the seemingly soft calls. The league puts its popularity down to its star quarterbacks, and it wants to aggressively protect them.
During NFL owners meetings, league Executive VP Troy Vincent doesn't mince words:
They believe the NFL is popular because of great quarterbacks, and keeping them healthy and active is a top priority.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) October 18, 2022
However unpopular these calls may be, at least the NFL is making it clear what the reasoning is. Quarterback injuries can derail a team’s entire season, and they would probably prefer a few iffy calls to dealing with that scenario.
On the other hand, the league has been left trying to defend some truly ridiculous calls in recent weeks. There has to be a reasonable middle ground, because defenders are not sure what they are supposed to do at this point.