The Emphasis on the Taunting Policy in the NFL
The NFL recently announced it would be cracking down on its taunting policy this upcoming season. This penalty was designed to make the sport safer for viewers of all ages. It has been in the league rulebooks for a while now and has rarely been an issue. That is until recently. Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antione Winfield Jr. showed Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill the peace sign during Super Bowl LV. This was most likely in response to the wide receiver doing the same to a defender during the 2019 NFL season. This would not have been a problem normally. This happened during the league championship game with millions of people watching it all around the world.
The NFL does not like to have bad public relations. So this was an absolute nightmare for them. That is part of the reason the taunting policy is being enforced so hard now. We even got to see this on display in week one of the preseason. Colts running back Benny LeMay carried several defenders on his way to a 14-yard gain. He then proceeded to do what many saw as a perfectly normal display of emotion. A penalty flag was thrown after the whistle was blown. Many thought this was against the Carolina Panthers. Nope. The officials did the natural thing and called it on the Colts for taunting the opponent. Watch the video below and make your own decision.
The Fallout After This Controversal Taunting Flag
It was inevitable that this call would upset some within the NFL community. The gesture looked fairly tame for a play. Especially for one in the preseason. This may be their only chance to show their team or all the others in the league what they can do on the field. Their adrenaline would naturally be running at a high level. Asking players to not express any emotion would be telling them to be robots.
The only thing that cannot be determined is what, if anything, LeMay said to the defensive players. It does not matter though. The public is already against the NFL on this topic. New York Giants owner John Mara however believes it was the right call. He has been openly critical of the role taunting plays in the game. Mara thinks it has no place in the NFL as its players are professionals and should act accordingly. I guess he wants no emotions on the field and players to wear suits as well.
Taunting Policy and the Future of the NFL
Emotions are an essential part of the game. It should be expected from anyone on the field. This includes not just the players, but the coaches, training staff, and cheerleaders. Sportsmanship is one of the main tenets of any competitive event. That should always be true. Exclamations of joy with teammates or even frustration are also part of the reason people play and watch the NFL. Football is still a game at its core though. It is meant to be fun regardless of the result. The taunting policy, however, is absolutely needed. There is no denying that. The enforcement of such policies will be subjective though. Judgment calls will always be open to criticism as that is just the nature of the beast.
Closing Thoughts
This article was published on the Belly Up Sports website and specifically its NFL page. Belly Up Sports also has a Twitter page where you can interact with the network. I also have written for this outlet before so see my most recent story if you would like. If you would like to talk to me directly, feel free to chat with me on my Twitter as well. Try to keep it clean and proper. If you are incapable of doing so, ignore that completely and battle it out with me. Just a few warnings for those who dare challenge me. I am highly competitive and hate to admit when I am wrong. So be prepared for a war of words.
