The NFL is doing the best that it can to ensure players will be follow the most rigid rules in all of professional sports.
As the league still mills over whether or not it will ban player’s hurling n-words at each other, they did manage to outlaw a seemingly harmless touchdown tradition.
The goal post slam dunk.
Via Dan Patrick:
NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino also talked about celebrations and explained there’s a rule against using the ball as a prop. Players can no longer dunk the ball over the goalpost. Blandino explained dunking the ball and things like the Lambeau Leap had been grandfathered in. But now players will be penalized for dunking the ball.
Dan asked Blandino about pass interference. Blandino said it’s been discussed, along with personal fouls and proposals to review everything. “There are some issue with that in terms of how many reviews we have,” Blandino said. “Are those really objective facts?”
New Orleans Saint tight end Jimmy Graham, who basically dunks with every touchdown he scores, lead the charge of outcries and even forsaw himself “leading the league in penalties” next year. The ever outspoken Richard Sherman also chimed in and shared his belief that the NFL wanted their players to have the free thinking of their Madden likenesses.
Of course the players who live for the showmanship just as much as they do the sport were hearing none of it.
Check out the responses several of the players had to say about their employer which is increasingly becoming known as the “No Fun League.”
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Photo: Twitter, WENN, AP Photo
