In comparison with previous seasons, Vince Wilfork did a decent job of not drawing many flags and fines for hits on the quarterback last season. For a guy who was fined four times by the league throughout the 2007 season alone, Wilfork has come a long way in adapting to the rules that protect passers. That doesn’t mean he agrees with them.
“One thing I’d get rid of is the penalties, certain penalties,” he said according the Boston Herald. “I can do without them. You have a guy that’s making $30 million a year (the quarterback), but you can’t touch him. C’mon, let’s be for real now. Me as a defensive lineman, it’s OK for somebody to hold me up, and another guy to come and chop my legs, and I can’t protect myself. I can do without that. That’s probably the main thing. Being able to hit a quarterback good. We need that. We need that back right there.
“But you hurt the franchise of your team if you’re allowed to tee off on the quarterback. Cuz you know, quarterbacks are wimpy.”
Wilfork’s opinion is by no means original, but I bet a certain teammate of his wouldn’t share it. Tom Brady is one of the most protected quarterbacks in the league, and officials have tightened up even more since a torn ACL caused him to miss the entire 2008 season. Quarterbacks make the most money, but they bring in the most as well. The NFL is a predominantly passing league now and its popularity has never been higher. Superstar quarterbacks are the cash cows for the league, so naturally they’re going to be protected. Even if many of them do act like wimps.
