Yardbarker
x
Sean Payton: Taunting penalties 'being over-officiated'
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Saints HC Sean Payton: Taunting penalties 'being over-officiated'

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy recently became the latest prominent figure to speak out in favor of the NFL's controversial and widely disliked crackdown on instances of taunting during games less than two full weeks after Chicago linebacker Cassius Marsh found himself on the wrong end of one of the most disputed penalties, to date, of the 2021 season. 

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton voiced a different opinion on the matter during a Thursday appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show." 

"I think it's being over-officiated," Payton said of taunting, per Nick Shook of the league's website. "I don't think any of us who discussed it [on the competition committee] saw it going where it is now."

Interestingly, Payton admitted last week he had left the NFL's competition committee but gave no reason for that decision other than saying it was time. 

"I'll leave it at that without getting fined," Payton added. 

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and committee member Mike Tomlin defended the league's emphasis on flagging players for taunting after his team's win over the Bears, as did fellow committee member and Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera following Week 2 of the campaign. 

The committee could, and likely will, at least revisit the issue during the offseason, but no change to the league's clampdown on taunting is coming before Super Bowl LVI in February. 

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!