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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/03/nfl_hits_crackdown.html

NFL says it will issue suspensions for illegal hits in 2011
Published: Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 5:24 PM Updated: Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 5:25 PM
By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

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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A quarterback in the act of throwing.

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How will they define "the act of throwing"? They're very close to only letting the defense jump up and down and yell, "nana nana na na" at the QB.

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A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped.

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Seems to be some gray area here. If his forward progress is stopped, the whistle should blow. If not, then you should be allowed to hit him. In my opinion, there is already a rule for this: a late hit.

I'm all for safety, but some of this is getting ridiculous!

Won't be surprised if someone like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers gets a lot of benefit out of "act of throwing" calls.

And I'm not even saying it's those guys' fault. Just that, IMO, seems like refs sometimes call those types of penalties with big name QBs. Though maybe they just stand out more because I'm "expecting" it.

JMHO

They said that they were going to do that this year. Didn't happen. Not gonna happen.

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• A quarterback at any time after a change of possession.

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Then the QB should be required to immediately run for the sideline after an INT or fumble and not allowed to chase the guy or make a tackle.

j/c

You guys are aware that the "defenseless player" penalties are all for blows to the head/neck of the player, right? Any hit to the head/neck by the helmet or extending forearms is a penalty.

Any player on the list above can be hit anywhere between the shoulder pads and the knees. QB's are the only ones that can't be hit below the knee.

So if I flattened a Quebee in a fake, like pump on a rollout to freeze, I get fined? As a passer, I would pull it up and pump endlessly. Crazy. Is a halfback or runner or punter throwing protected like a QB as well. I mean suddenly we are into flag football pursuit. This could kill the game changing results of a brutal blitz that worked. Game versus fines are two different rules, and I want protection, but this is approaching a "tutu rule." Might be a Godsend for McCoy . . . . Need to cover the potential wrinkles as well,

Thank you 214. You seem to be the only responder to have read this thoroughly.

This could do away with the Whines Ward hits after plays are over.

I think most peoples concern i the implication of these rules. Like a DT swatting at the ball in the QBs hand and his hand barely touched the QB helm and a flag gets thrown.

When it comes to QBs, there needs to be a little less black and white, and a little more discretion.

I thought when the THUG Harrisson put TWO players out of the game and he did not even draw a flag I would like fines to officials as well who swallow their whistles on blatant fouls. the fact he drew fines after the fact when both fould would have put the browns in Field goal position with a fresh set of downs does not help on game day. Face it, some teams get a "bye" from officials. How were BOTH fouls not called and worse the browns center was called for delay when he kicked the ball in disgust.

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A quarterback at any time after a change of possession.

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Expect big guys like Rothelisburger to take full advantage of this on fumbles and picks. It's going to be like a forward taking a charge and sliding back 10 feet on the floor when he was barely touched.

I don't think many of you understand the story. It's not that you can't hit the QB, these are about illegal hits to the head, Leading with the crown of the helmet, and speering.

To read the responses above, you guys act like they are not allowed to hit them at all. They used last year to drill into the players heads, what exactly they considered "illegal. This year thugs like Harrison and other cheap shot artists will be suspended instead of just being fined.

I like it. Last year, once they started fining guys, I notice more form tackling starting to take place. I also like that when a runner is being held up, that guys won't be able to earhole them like Harrison did to Cribbs.

Stcik and wrap, it's not that hard. Hopefully more defensive coaches will stress proper tackling techniques from here out.
You can just as easily land a "blow up" hit on a guy by dropping you shoulder, instead of torpedoeing your head and forearm into them.

Anybody on here that ever played receiver, and go stuck in the ribs on a reception will agree.....it hurts and is just as effective at sending a message to a player about going into their zone. Plus it is way more effective at jarring the ball loose.

While what you said is true, the NFL seems to be starting a trend of over-enforcing these rules when it comes to contact vs the QB, and being very lax on enforcing when anyone else gets hit.

We heard this story about suspensions last year, but Harrison was able to put together an impressive list of fines without ever getting suspended. I find that laughable, at best.

Just my opinion, of course.

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We heard this story about suspensions last year, but Harrison was able to put together an impressive list of fines without ever getting suspended. I find that laughable, at best.

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IMO, last year was just to make the players understand what they were looking for. Now when the season begins, there should be no question what they are looking for. I believe all it will take is a major player to be suspended, and the players and coaching staffs will take it seriously, and start coaching proper tackling technique.

I don't want to merge the CBA and this thread but.....can the NFL suspend players for hits without a CBA? Wouldn't that open up more lawsuits from individual players?

The players are already suing the league regarding free agency, the draft, franchise tags, the salary cap, and everything else the owners do....wouldn't this fall under the same section (and with that "triple damages" rule, who wants to pay a players 3 times the missed game checked after the suspension gets overturned?)

Shouldn't be able to.

If you or I go to work and break the rules, we can be suspended or fired. We can take it up either with legal counsel, or with the NLRB if we want to ..... but in damn near every case if we have violated a clear rule, we'll pay some kind of price.