Rams To Propose Roughing The Passer Rule Change

According to Adam Schefter, the Rams will propose a rule change related to roughing the passer at the fall owners meetings this week. 

It’s a resubmission of a rule they proposed last year that would have made all personal fouls, including roughing, reviewable, per Schefter.

It was voted down 9-0 by the competition committee but a pair of high-profile rough penalties in last week’s games have reignited the issue. Falcons DT Grady Jarrett was flagged for a relatively innocuous-looking sack of Buccaneers QB Tom Brady and Chiefs DT Chris Jones was called for roughing on a play where he took the ball from Raiders QB Derek Carr and appeared to try to brace himself from landing on him. 

Roughing the passer penalties are down overall so far in 2022 but those two calls have generated a firestorm of controversy. The league has supported the calls in question but did not fine either Jarrett or Jones as sometimes happens for roughing penalties. 

In its weekly email to all teams, the NFL’s officiating department sent a video showing examples of what they’re looking for as clean sacks. Titans HC Mike Vrabel, who is a member of the competition committee, replied to everyone on the listserv voicing his and others’ frustrations. 

“I appreciate the time and energy that goes into these videos, but I suggest we devote every minute of our officiating departments’ time ensuring our officiating crews are as well trained in the clarifications we worked to create in the offseason and that each crew is as consistent as possible. Thank you.”

Per Schefter, it’s believed Vrabel’s email was intentional, not accidental, and could be signaling a shift in the future on how the league handles these calls.