Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson believes it was his fault that the NFL passed the “crown of the helmet” rule that will make it a 15-yard penalty for offensive players to lower their heads to hit defenders outside of the tackle box.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Richardson’s violent and thunderous helmet-to-helmet hit on Eagles safety Kurt Coleman was cited often by the NFL when they passed the rule.
“I feel like I made it bad for all the backs,” Richardson told The Plain Dealer on Wednesday. “I feel like it’s my fault.”
Richardson said NFL running backs are referring to the rule as the “T-Rich” rule and said, “I guess I made history today.”
Richardson, who played for the better part of last year with broken ribs, also said he will not change his running style and accept the fines for his bruising and crushing hits on defenders.
“I don’t know how they’re going call it, but (laughing) most likely I’m going to be the one getting all the fines and all the penalties because I just know I just can’t change the way I play the game,” Richardson said.
Richardson told the paper he did not intend to knock Coleman’s helmet off of his head and it was just an instinctive football play in the heat of the game.
“I’m not trying to harm no other players, that’s just not me. But I do bring a lot of pain when I run, and I understand where it’s coming from,” the former Alabama star said. “If you ask Bo Jackson, Emmitt Smith, guys like that, the rule is kind of frustrating when it comes to being a running back.”
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