[h1]NFL will tell officials not to shy away from ejecting players[/h1]
The NFL is expected to pass a new rule this week that will result in an automatic ejection for two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. But the league’s emphasis on ejections will go beyond that.
NFL V.P. of Officiating Dean Blandino told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that the league will also remind officials that it’s in their power to eject players for flagrant rules violations, even if they don’t commit two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
“We will reaffirm that the rulebook does allow us some discretion when it comes to ejection,” Blandino said. “We’ll make sure they understand that they have that power and they shouldn’t shy away when it is necessary.”
The new two-strikes rule wouldn’t have resulted in Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. being ejected for his actions against Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, but Blandino said the officials should have ejected Beckham in that game anyway.
“I think everybody agreed that that was flagrant enough to eject. And that was the message to the game officials as part of the teaching and training after the fact,” Blandino said.
So new rule or no new rule, the officials will be told in 2016 that they’re empowered to throw a player out of the game.
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[h1]Richard Sherman: Goodell’s “foolish” ejection rule shows he doesn’t understand players[/h1]
Seahawks cornerback
Richard Sherman doesn’t think much of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s desire to eject players who get two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game.
Asked about the proposal
on ESPN, Sherman said it shows how little Goodell understands about the players who are on the field on Sundays.
“I think it’s foolish, but it sounds like something somebody who’s never played the game would say, something they would suggest, because he doesn’t understand, he’s just a face, he’s just a suit. He’s never set foot on the field and understood how you can get a personal foul,” Sherman said.
Sherman echoed that when asked why the NFL hasn’t been able to figure out a way to fix the catch rule.
"Because you've got a bunch of suits doing it," Sherman said. "Like I said before, you don't have a bunch of guys ... let Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin talk about it for about 20, 30 minutes. Maybe Cris Carter. Randy Moss, let those guys have a roundtable discussion about what a catch should be and come up with a rule.
"I guarantee you it'd be more effective than the rule they have now because those are the pass-catchers. Those are some of the best pass-catchers we've had. I think it'd be more straightforward and to the point. You've got a bunch of guys who have never played. They've probably touched a football to hold it out or to shake somebody's hand, to take a picture, but they've never played the game."
Sherman’s opinion of Goodell is a common one among players. But the ejection rule is likely to be imposed upon the players whether Sherman likes it or not.
. Just an extra big body for the rotation now that Siliga is in Seattle so it would probably be a low risk high reward type of deal
