If the NFL wanted to turn the page on a player criticizing poor officiating, the NFL would probably think twice before fining a player for criticizing poor officiating.
Regardless, the Big Shield responded to Browns defenseman Myles Garrett. Via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, The league fined Garrett $25,000 for his criticism of officials after last weekend’s win over the Jaguars.
“the responsibility It was a farce todayJarrett said during his post-game press conference. “It was honestly terrible. And the fact that they let them get away with their hands up to their faces, holding, false starts — I know they called a couple, but damn, they could have called the whole thing a game. And [there was] That cost us at the 2 yard line.
“I mean, with all due respect to these guys, it’s a tough job, but we have a tough job too. You can’t make it any tougher by throwing catches and hands to the face out of the rule book. And like I said, I have a lot of respect for these guys, but we get scrutinized on plays “Which we don’t make. So someone has to hold them accountable for the plays or calls they don’t make. And they have to be under the same microscope that we are under on every play.”
Garrett’s words are consistent with observations made here and beyond BFT Live. (Fortunately, they can’t fine us.) Officials look the other way on various fouls offensive linemen make, because defensive linemen are currently much better than the guys they’re trying to block.
“This Hack-a-Shaq crap has got to stop,” Garrett said. “This, ‘You’re all as dominant as we’ve seen, and we’ll let him get away with almost anything’ — is ridiculous. You can’t let someone stick their fingers in your face mask and push your head up or grab you by the back of your collar, or when they’re out “His place, so he’ll snatch you from the front – all those things we see, but we’re trying to enhance the attacking game. It should be called fair both ways. I don’t care about any of that, attack and defense should be of the same standard in more ways than one.”
Garrett said Friday that he does not regret what he said, and that he hopes it will have an impact.Positive effect“On management. The fact that the league saw fit to fine him says otherwise.
The league clearly doesn’t want criticism or scrutiny. The commissioner clearly resented the fact that he had to defend this week’s criticism of officials over a call that was technically correct in the Bills-Chiefs game. (Of course, the player in question was technically offside on multiple occasions before the flag was thrown. For some reason, the flag only came up when the outcome of the match was hanging in the balance.)
Fining someone like Garrett $25,000 isn’t going to get players to stop doing it. Especially those who earn the most money. As Randy Moss famously said after he was fined for disrupting the crowd at Lambeau Field, “What’s ten grand worth to me?” And he wasn’t making anything close to the $25 million that Garrett makes annually.
For Garrett, the $25,000 represents 0.1 percent of his total annual compensation. The money also goes to charity.
Furthermore, the fact that he was fined made it an occasion for people like me to press the ‘caps lock’ button and type ‘MYLES GARRETT IS RIGHT’.
The league is relaxing enforcement of rules such as false starts, hands to face, and holding in order to give offenses an advantage. Ditto for intentional grounding and roughing up passers-by.
It’s all about keeping the offense moving and the quarterbacks playing. Even if it doesn’t hurt ratings, it’s still better for the best players to play their best. Tilting the field in favor of offensive linemen and midfielders helps get there.
Making the decision to fine Garrett all the more telling is the fact that he did not question the personal integrity of the officials. Years ago, the NFL made it clear that players were only fined when they crossed the line between calling a bad call and calling an official corrupt.
Last month, Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson did just that, and paid the price. Garrett didn’t do that. But he still gets a fine.
He was fined for blowing the whistle on existing efforts to help violations. Which makes it even more obvious when, for example, the Jaguars are called a penalty in overtime for the type of infraction that’s not called “all the time,” erasing a 43-yard gain that would have put Jacksonville on the brink of victory. (They later lost to the Bengals.)
The rules should always be applied as written. If the NFL wants to change the rules to allow fumbles, false starts or split-second false tackles two yards behind the line of scrimmage, they should.
The problem is that this loose and casual failure to enforce existing rules sets the stage for someone to suddenly become a stickler, at a crucial moment. Which will make some abroad wonder whether reform exists or not.
The league’s decision to fine Garrett is a clear sign that they are trying to blow up that bridge before anyone even tries to cross it. Frankly, it’s probably too late for that.
Efforts to silence players for their fair and accurate criticism will only tempt more observers to cross the “fix is in” bridge.
The NFL has recently made headlines by fining Myles Garrett, the star defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, a hefty $25,000 for publicly criticizing game officials. Garrett’s comments came after a controversial game in which he felt that the officials had made several crucial mistakes that ultimately cost his team the victory. The fine has sparked a debate about the NFL’s policies on player conduct and their right to express their opinions on the performance of game officials. Garrett’s outspokenness has brought attention to the issue of accountability in the league and the consequences for players who speak out against its officials.