Suspensions For Illegal Hits In 2011
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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/03/nfl_hits_crackdown.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined for illegal hits on four occasions last season, but never suspended. That would change in 2011, under new rules being proposed by the NFL.
It's all part of the league's aggressive crackdown on repeat offenders of illegal hits.
"We need to discourage repeat offenders and flagrant violators and hold not just players but coaches and clubs accountable for playing to and coaching to the rules," Ray Anderson, league executive vice president of football operations, said on a conference call on Wednesday. "There will be strong support in the 2011 season for making sure that players understand that, when warranted, suspensions will be an effective discipline for us."
Browns safety T.J. Ward drew a $15,000 fine for a helmet hit on Cincinnati receiver Jordan Shipley in a game on Oct. 3. But the crackdown did not ensue for two weeks later.
Harrison became the lightning rod for the crackdown when he was fined $75,000 for a hit on Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who was considered in a defenseless position. Harrison also caused a concussion to Josh Cribbs in the same game with a hit that was not ruled illegal.
On the same weekend, vicious hits by New England safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson resulted in fines of $50,000 and drew a firestorm of media criticism.
The NFL responded by announcing its crackdown. The league issued memos to coaches and club executives and produced videos instructing the difference between legal and illegal hits.
The crackdown was controversial because it came in the middle of a season.
Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, an executive board member of the players union, accused the league of hypocrisy for claiming it was concerned with player safety at the same time it was proposing an expansion of the regular season to 18 games. Fujita and several other players also said the crackdown confused and divided locker rooms.
Harrison was fined three more times for subsequent hits -- totaling $125,000 by season's end -- but did not lose playing time.
"There were instances where we had a lot of discussion about whether suspension would have been the better discipline," Anderson said. "But we also felt unless you've given sufficient advance notice, fairness dictated we should be a little more lenient. Now that notice has been given.
"Going forward, we won't have that hesitation to suspend. This is not an area that we can relent on."
Anderson said that the league will be "more communicative" in emphasizing this newest crackdown at the start of the season. He said suspensions are possible -- but not automatic -- for repeat offenders and flagrant violators. Anderson said the league keeps a history of two years to determine repeat offenders.
In addition, rules defining a defenseless player will be expanded. They include eight categories:
• A quarterback in the act of throwing.
• A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped.
• A player fielding a punt or kickoff.
• A kicker or punter during the kick.
• A quarterback at any time after a change of possession.
• A receiver who receives a blind-side block.
• A player already on the ground.
Anderson said the league also wants to prohibit illegal launching, or leaving the feet to deliver a blow with any part of the helmet or facemask.
The rules will be voted on at NFL owners meetings next week in New Orleans.
The league competition committee also is proposing a major change to kickoffs. It wants to return kickoffs to the 35-yard line (up from the 30) and allow possession at the 25-yard line after a touchback (instead of the 20). Other measures, including the full elimination of the blocking wedge, would serve to discourage injuries on kickoff, which have risen significantly, according to the league.
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i'm glad the nfl is cracking down on dirty players. it protects players from being on the receiving end of illegal hits and it also protects dirty players from themselves so they won't end up old and out of their minds from years of leading in with their heads while tackling.
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Some of those "illegal" hits though are up for interpretation. Like saying you can't hit a QB mid throw? Does that mean when he is in his motion to throw, right after the ball is let go. What does that even mean. Or how about when a WR is trying to catch the ball. We all already know hitting a WR before the ball touches his hands is pass interference but does this mean we have to give him the opportunity now catch/drop the ball on his own. And how about a runner who's momentum has been stopped. You can't enforce that. The only way to do it is to blow the whistle as soon as a run stops moving forward which takes away his ability to fight for extra yards. Stupid. You want to bitch about these guys getting too much money so let them just xxxxing play the way they want to. Get rid of the Tom Brady rules for pussy QB's but keep the head shot rule for WR's.
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There is a difference between a dirty hit and a good tackle. To me, a dirty hit is only when the player leads with his helmet. If a guy hits a receiver with his shoulder a little after after the ball goes past him, it's not a dirty hit. It's just good hard football. However, when a guy spears another guy with his helmet or there is helmet to helmet contact, that should be a suspendable offense. All of those sissy hits on the QBs are bullshit and need to go. Put dresses on them if you are going to call a personal foul when a QB gets tapped with a hand.
once a fan, always a fan. married to a steeler fan. aaaaaaaaah! --andy -
I think they are making all these rules to get high scoring games. At least that's what it feels like to me.
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There is a difference between a dirty hit and a good tackle. To me, a dirty hit is only when the player leads with his helmet. If a guy hits a receiver with his shoulder a little after after the ball goes past him, it's not a dirty hit. It's just good hard football. However, when a guy spears another guy with his helmet or there is helmet to helmet contact, that should be a suspendable offense. All of those sissy hits on the QBs are bullshit and need to go. Put dresses on them if you are going to call a personal foul when a QB gets tapped with a hand.
There is a difference between a dirty hit and a good tackle. To me, a dirty hit is only when the player leads with his helmet. If a guy hits a receiver with his shoulder a little after after the ball goes past him, it's not a dirty hit. It's just good hard football. However, when a guy spears another guy with his helmet or there is helmet to helmet contact, that should be a suspendable offense. All of those sissy hits on the QBs are bullshit and need to go. Put dresses on them if you are going to call a personal foul when a QB gets tapped with a hand.
good post and my feelings exactly. cheap shots, late hits, leading with the head, spearing. those are the types of hits a player should get suspended for.
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This is dumb. Unless they make it like 1st time warning, second time suspended for like a half, next time suspended for a game, third offense is 2 games, and it just keeps doubling.
Suspension requirements then start over for the next year. It would be a shame to miss James Harrison, Ray Lewis, TJ Ward, etc. miss a lot of time for one mistake.
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I think they should add that once a player has crossed for a touchdown they should not be allowed to hit. How many times have you seen a complete pass for a touchdown and a player still gets hit. Whats the point?
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I think they should add that once a player has crossed for a touchdown they should not be allowed to hit. How many times have you seen a complete pass for a touchdown and a player still gets hit. Whats the point?
I think they should add that once a player has crossed for a touchdown they should not be allowed to hit. How many times have you seen a complete pass for a touchdown and a player still gets hit. Whats the point?
most of the time the defender is trying to hit the reciever hard enough to dislodge the ball or cause them to juggle it.
other times it's just a unneeded display of frustration.
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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/03/nfl_hits_crackdown.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined for illegal hits on four occasions last season, but never suspended. That would change in 2011, under new rules being proposed by the NFL.
It's all part of the league's aggressive crackdown on repeat offenders of illegal hits.
"We need to discourage repeat offenders and flagrant violators and hold not just players but coaches and clubs accountable for playing to and coaching to the rules," Ray Anderson, league executive vice president of football operations, said on a conference call on Wednesday. "There will be strong support in the 2011 season for making sure that players understand that, when warranted, suspensions will be an effective discipline for us."
Browns safety T.J. Ward drew a $15,000 fine for a helmet hit on Cincinnati receiver Jordan Shipley in a game on Oct. 3. But the crackdown did not ensue for two weeks later.
Harrison became the lightning rod for the crackdown when he was fined $75,000 for a hit on Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who was considered in a defenseless position. Harrison also caused a concussion to Josh Cribbs in the same game with a hit that was not ruled illegal.
On the same weekend, vicious hits by New England safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson resulted in fines of $50,000 and drew a firestorm of media criticism.
The NFL responded by announcing its crackdown. The league issued memos to coaches and club executives and produced videos instructing the difference between legal and illegal hits.
The crackdown was controversial because it came in the middle of a season.
Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, an executive board member of the players union, accused the league of hypocrisy for claiming it was concerned with player safety at the same time it was proposing an expansion of the regular season to 18 games. Fujita and several other players also said the crackdown confused and divided locker rooms.
Harrison was fined three more times for subsequent hits -- totaling $125,000 by season's end -- but did not lose playing time.
"There were instances where we had a lot of discussion about whether suspension would have been the better discipline," Anderson said. "But we also felt unless you've given sufficient advance notice, fairness dictated we should be a little more lenient. Now that notice has been given.
"Going forward, we won't have that hesitation to suspend. This is not an area that we can relent on."
Anderson said that the league will be "more communicative" in emphasizing this newest crackdown at the start of the season. He said suspensions are possible -- but not automatic -- for repeat offenders and flagrant violators. Anderson said the league keeps a history of two years to determine repeat offenders.
In addition, rules defining a defenseless player will be expanded. They include eight categories:
• A quarterback in the act of throwing.
• A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped.
• A player fielding a punt or kickoff.
• A kicker or punter during the kick.
• A quarterback at any time after a change of possession.
• A receiver who receives a blind-side block.
• A player already on the ground.
Anderson said the league also wants to prohibit illegal launching, or leaving the feet to deliver a blow with any part of the helmet or facemask.
The rules will be voted on at NFL owners meetings next week in New Orleans.
The league competition committee also is proposing a major change to kickoffs. It wants to return kickoffs to the 35-yard line (up from the 30) and allow possession at the 25-yard line after a touchback (instead of the 20). Other measures, including the full elimination of the blocking wedge, would serve to discourage injuries on kickoff, which have risen significantly, according to the league.
http://www.cleveland..._crackdown.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was fined for illegal hits on four occasions last season, but never suspended. That would change in 2011, under new rules being proposed by the NFL.
It's all part of the league's aggressive crackdown on repeat offenders of illegal hits.
"We need to discourage repeat offenders and flagrant violators and hold not just players but coaches and clubs accountable for playing to and coaching to the rules," Ray Anderson, league executive vice president of football operations, said on a conference call on Wednesday. "There will be strong support in the 2011 season for making sure that players understand that, when warranted, suspensions will be an effective discipline for us."
Browns safety T.J. Ward drew a $15,000 fine for a helmet hit on Cincinnati receiver Jordan Shipley in a game on Oct. 3. But the crackdown did not ensue for two weeks later.
Harrison became the lightning rod for the crackdown when he was fined $75,000 for a hit on Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, who was considered in a defenseless position. Harrison also caused a concussion to Josh Cribbs in the same game with a hit that was not ruled illegal.
On the same weekend, vicious hits by New England safety Brandon Meriweather and Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson resulted in fines of $50,000 and drew a firestorm of media criticism.
The NFL responded by announcing its crackdown. The league issued memos to coaches and club executives and produced videos instructing the difference between legal and illegal hits.
The crackdown was controversial because it came in the middle of a season.
Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, an executive board member of the players union, accused the league of hypocrisy for claiming it was concerned with player safety at the same time it was proposing an expansion of the regular season to 18 games. Fujita and several other players also said the crackdown confused and divided locker rooms.
Harrison was fined three more times for subsequent hits -- totaling $125,000 by season's end -- but did not lose playing time.
"There were instances where we had a lot of discussion about whether suspension would have been the better discipline," Anderson said. "But we also felt unless you've given sufficient advance notice, fairness dictated we should be a little more lenient. Now that notice has been given.
"Going forward, we won't have that hesitation to suspend. This is not an area that we can relent on."
Anderson said that the league will be "more communicative" in emphasizing this newest crackdown at the start of the season. He said suspensions are possible -- but not automatic -- for repeat offenders and flagrant violators. Anderson said the league keeps a history of two years to determine repeat offenders.
In addition, rules defining a defenseless player will be expanded. They include eight categories:
• A quarterback in the act of throwing.
• A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped.
• A player fielding a punt or kickoff.
• A kicker or punter during the kick.
• A quarterback at any time after a change of possession.
• A receiver who receives a blind-side block.
• A player already on the ground.
Anderson said the league also wants to prohibit illegal launching, or leaving the feet to deliver a blow with any part of the helmet or facemask.
The rules will be voted on at NFL owners meetings next week in New Orleans.
The league competition committee also is proposing a major change to kickoffs. It wants to return kickoffs to the 35-yard line (up from the 30) and allow possession at the 25-yard line after a touchback (instead of the 20). Other measures, including the full elimination of the blocking wedge, would serve to discourage injuries on kickoff, which have risen significantly, according to the league.
Illegal hits?????????????? Duh.............simple to fix this mess............NO facemask and illegal hits will disappear...........and oh yeah make QB's wear skirts............BOOM all problems solved.........the NFL created this monster and now they want play NFLPF...........Not For Long Pansy Footbal
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I think they should add that once a player has crossed for a touchdown they should not be allowed to hit. How many times have you seen a complete pass for a touchdown and a player still gets hit. Whats the point?
most of the time the defender is trying to hit the reciever hard enough to dislodge the ball or cause them to juggle it.
other times it's just a unneeded display of frustration.
most of the time the defender is trying to hit the reciever hard enough to dislodge the ball or cause them to juggle it.
other times it's just a unneeded display of frustration.
hey, you shi*t for brains troll. can you read? are your comprehension skills really that bad? just when i thought your idiotic posts couldn't get any worse, you drop this gem on us.
the post that you quoted clearly stated a player crossing the goal line for a td. that means the ref has 2 arms extended up in the air ruling it a td and the play is over. ANY hit after that is a late hit and i've seen numerous defenders get away with hitting a receiver or a rb right after they scored a td.
not only are you a brain dead troll, you're also an idiot who can't comprehend a simple statement. you should focus on some self improvement skills and can the whole troll bit. you're just embarassing yourself, man.
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This is just embarrassing if i was the players i wouldn't even dress until they changed the rules back if they do end up going through
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The helmet to helmet shots must stop. It's like rolling the dice to see if
you paralyze another player... or yourself. It has no place in football, and
spearing is cheap and once a player clearly crosses the goal line, it's already a TD,
unless it's a pass... that's right?
Football is aready a violent enough sport, without this cheapshot garbage.
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The helmet to helmet shots must stop. It's like rolling the dice to see if
you paralyze another player... or yourself. It has no place in football, and
spearing is cheap and once a player clearly crosses the goal line, it's already a TD,
unless it's a pass... that's right?
Football is aready a violent enough sport, without this cheapshot garbage.
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i'm glad the nfl is cracking down on dirty players. it protects players from being on the receiving end of illegal hits and it also protects dirty players from themselves so they won't end up old and out of their minds from years of leading in with their heads while tackling.
i'm glad the nfl is cracking down on dirty players. it protects players from being on the receiving end of illegal hits and it also protects dirty players from themselves so they won't end up old and out of their minds from years of leading in with their heads while tackling.
Define a dirty player...and be specific...I DEFY you
Offense Wins.......Franchise QB's are the key.............Defense keeps you in the game.........Go Buckeyes -
The helmet to helmet shots must stop. It's like rolling the dice to see if
you paralyze another player... or yourself. It has no place in football, and
spearing is cheap and once a player clearly crosses the goal line, it's already a TD,
unless it's a pass... that's right?
Football is aready a violent enough sport, without this cheapshot garbage.
The helmet to helmet shots must stop. It's like rolling the dice to see if
you paralyze another player... or yourself. It has no place in football, and
spearing is cheap and once a player clearly crosses the goal line, it's already a TD,
unless it's a pass... that's right?
Football is aready a violent enough sport, without this cheapshot garbage.
Stopping helmet to helmet is easy......just take off the face mask
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There is a difference between a dirty hit and a good tackle. To me, a dirty hit is only when the player leads with his helmet. If a guy hits a receiver with his shoulder a little after after the ball goes past him, it's not a dirty hit. It's just good hard football. However, when a guy spears another guy with his helmet or there is helmet to helmet contact, that should be a suspendable offense. All of those sissy hits on the QBs are bullshit and need to go. Put dresses on them if you are going to call a personal foul when a QB gets tapped with a hand.
There is a difference between a dirty hit and a good tackle. To me, a dirty hit is only when the player leads with his helmet. If a guy hits a receiver with his shoulder a little after after the ball goes past him, it's not a dirty hit. It's just good hard football. However, when a guy spears another guy with his helmet or there is helmet to helmet contact, that should be a suspendable offense. All of those sissy hits on the QBs are bullshit and need to go. Put dresses on them if you are going to call a personal foul when a QB gets tapped with a hand.
So when you destroy a players knee with a cut block is cool,,,,,,sometimes some of us need to think about what ...what it is that makes illegal hits.......and you can beturass more careers were ended by destroying knees than helmet to helmet shots
and one more time....... fixing the helmet to helmet hits is easy.....ban face masks
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i'm glad the nfl is cracking down on dirty players. it protects players from being on the receiving end of illegal hits and it also protects dirty players from themselves so they won't end up old and out of their minds from years of leading in with their heads while tackling.
Define a dirty player...and be specific...I DEFY you
Define a dirty player...and be specific...I DEFY you
you DEFY me? really? who the hell are you? megatron? darth maul? and dumb a*s, i already defined what a dirty player is in a number of my posts in this very thread (including the one you quoted lol). if your head wasn't so far up the steelers' a*sess, you would've seen them.
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i'm glad the nfl is cracking down on dirty players. it protects players from being on the receiving end of illegal hits and it also protects dirty players from themselves so they won't end up old and out of their minds from years of leading in with their heads while tackling.
Define a dirty player...and be specific...I DEFY you
Define a dirty player...and be specific...I DEFY you
james harrison. specific enough?
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Horrible. The quality of this game is going to shit.
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