NFL To Consider Adding Targeting Penalty Similar To College Rule

NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent said during a conference call Wednesday that the competition committee will discuss adding a targeting penalty similar to the college rule during the offseason.

“I think it’s something that we have to consider,” Vincent said, via USA Today. “We’ve seen it work to a degree. It’s clean. That play is a reviewable play at the collegiate level. We think there’s been some positives talking to some of the conferences and the officials and some of the student athletes. It is a deterrent and it’s something that we will consider. It is on our agenda – one of our agenda items that we will discuss with eh coaches and our competition committee.”

This would allow referees to eject players from the game following a replay review.

The NCAA rule requires a player to make contact with the crown of the helmet or to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent.

The NFL has come under a great deal of criticism this year for how they’ve handled egregious helmet-to-helmet hits and the punishment they’ve handed out in connection with these plays, so it wouldn’t come as a big surprise to see some major rule changes next year.

We’ll have more regarding potential rule changes as the news is available.