NFL Breaks Silence On Controversial Taunting Penalties

The NFL has taken a lot of backlash for its crackdown on taunting this season, but the league apparently feels the added emphasis is having the desired effect.

After 11 unsportsmanlike conduct calls were made in the first two weeks of the season, equaling the total for the entire 2020 campaign, refs have thrown only three taunting flags in the last three weeks.

NFL executive Troy Vincent said this weekend that the league is pleased with how the rule is being enforced.

“We’re right where we need to be and we’re now seeing the correction we were looking for,” Vincent told the AP. “We saw the spike the first three weeks and now we’re seeing the decline. The coaches and the NFL Competition Committee are pleased. Coaches have told us their players are adjusting, they’re thinking about what they’re going to do, knowing it may cost the team. These are game-changing penalties for a selfish act.”

On Thursday night, a taunting call cost the Philadelphia Eagles at least a shot to get the ball back and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After trimming the Bucs’ lead to 28-22 with 5:54 to play, Philadelphia kicked off deep to the Bucs, who took over possession at their own 25.

On first down, Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette gained only two yards, but Eagles linebacker Genard Avery stood over Fournette after the play, earning a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The call helped the Bucs build a drive that killed the remaining time and wrapped up a win.

“Again, that was unacceptable and that falls on me first,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said, not placing blame on the officials. “I have to do a better job getting everybody doing the right things out there and keeping our composure out there.”

The post NFL Breaks Silence On Controversial Taunting Penalties appeared first on The Spun.