The NFL has a roughing-the-passer problem. This weekend highlighted the need for clarification on the rules. There were some truly abhorrent calls that left many people questioning the rules. One former Packer who is no stranger to roughing the passer calls is Clay Matthews. In last night’s game, Nick Bosa was called for a questionable roughing the passer penalty. Clay Matthews took to Twitter and pitched an idea for his next job, roughing the passer replay official.
Clay Matthews: Roughing the passer replay official
After this weekend, there has been a push for replay on roughing the passer calls. This wouldn’t be the first type of penalty officials can review. Targeting and helmet-to-helmet contact is already reviewable. Throwing in roughing the passer calls would not be that hard to do. Clay Matthews is throwing his name in the hat to review those calls. “I’d like to be employed by the NFL as THE replay official for all roughing the passer penalties,” Matthew wrote on Twitter.
Lack of consistency is the problem
The problem is not the calls. It is the lack of consistency. Earlier in the year, Tua Tagovailoa was thrown down violently on a Thursday night game. Oddly enough, there was no roughing the passer call. This weekend, a Miami defender made a legal hit on Justin Herbert and put his hands out to catch himself. The referee ruled he put his whole weight on Herbert and called roughing the passer. This shows the consistency problem. Either they both are roughing the passer or they aren’t. Fans simply want consistency.
I think it would be great if Clay Matthews became the roughing the passer replay official. At the very least, the NFL needs to figure out some level of consistency.
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