This past NFL game day produces few sports headlines, instead one topic is being talked about above all else: Roughing the Passer. That’s something the league apparently wants to work on now.

Munich – It’s a discussion almost as old as the rule itself: Roughing the Passer. The illegal over-harsh tackling of the opposing quarterback.

Apart from the Pass Interference rule, i.e. the illegal obstruction of a pass receiver, this penalty probably causes the most controversy. Game day 5 of the NFL season was no exception.

Mack Wilson of the New England Patriots, Grady Jarrett of the Atlanta Falcons and Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs were all penalised for their interactions with the opposing quarterback, to the incomprehension of the general public. A storm of outrage went through spectators and players even to analysts and refereeing experts.

After the negative feedback, the league is reportedly planning to adjust the rules interpretation of the penalty.

Video evidence on Roughing the Passer?

At least this is what “ESPN” reports. According to the report, the so-called Competition Committee, consisting of six unknown team owners and four unknown head coaches, is already looking into the matter. This committee is responsible for most of the proposals for rule changes. These are then voted on at the beginning of a new league year in March. A possible change would therefore not be considered until the coming season at the earliest.

Passrusher Jones of the Chiefs demanded in the interview after the game that one can have Roughing the Passer checked by video evidence. Either by the Chiefs referee or the video referee from New York City. “You need at least a little common sense on decisions like that,” said his quarterback Patrick Mahomes, for example.

That would be a change analogous to the pass-interference penalty. After the New Orleans Saints were deprived of a spot in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 due to a clear “PI”, this penalty was made contestable. After one season, however, the pilot project failed and was scrapped.

First change after 2018

Should the league actually change the rule or the interpretation of it, it would be the first adjustment since 2018.

The trigger at the time was a broken collarbone suffered by Aaron Rodgers, caused by a hit from linebacker Anthony Barr in the Minnesota Vikings’ game against the Green Bay Packers in 2017.

Rodgers dropped out for weeks, before the following season the rules for roughing the passer were tightened. If you were not allowed to attack the quarterback below the knees or by the helmet at that time, falling with the full body weight on the playmaker was also punished afterwards.

Regardless of whether the league adapts the rule or not, it will remain the same this season. Controversial decisions are inevitable.