NFL Exec Troy Vincent: ‘We’re Not Going to Back Off Protecting the Quarterback’

Tom Brady
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Dylan Gwinn

The NFL has weighed in on the great debate between protecting the quarterback and games that end 42-37 and attract more than 25 million viewers. And, in an absolutely shocking development, the NFL has chosen 42-37 games that make them millions of dollars.

Despite claiming that league leaders had engaged in a “healthy” and “spirited” conversation about rules regarding roughing the passer, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent put a damper on any hopes that reason would prevail at this week’s owner’s meetings by saying that the league was “not going to back off protecting the quarterback.”

“Everyone knows if your quarterback is not healthy, you don’t have a chance to win,” Vincent said Tuesday. “We’re not changing the philosophy around that call. … We’re not going to back off of protecting the quarterback.”

Apparently, the “not going to back off protecting the quarterback” memo also reached Commissioner Roger Goodell, who used almost the same language when describing the league’s stance toward the controversy.

“We’re not backing off of protecting players that are in a defenseless position or in an exposed position that could lead to injury,” Goodell said, “and we’ll take those techniques out of the game.”

The controversy over the roughing of the passer rules came into focus in recent weeks after two particularly egregious examples of defenders getting flagged for what appeared to be completely legal sacks.

Ten days ago, the Falcons’ Grady Jarrett was flagged for merely sacking Tom Brady.

Then Kansas City’s Chris Jones was flagged for falling on Derek Carr, even though Jones obviously put his hands out to keep his weight off the quarterback.

The two head-scratching penalties had led some to believe that the league had to finally address the issue to restore the integrity of the game. However, after Vincent and Goodell’s comments, it appears that reworking the rule will not happen.

Does that mean that Vincent and Goodell believe the penalties against Jarrett and Jones were good calls? It absolutely does not. In fact, Vincent even said as much.

As the NFL Network reports, “asked specifically about those two plays, Vincent said that the call on Jarrett is one you’d ‘not like to see’ but ‘philosophically, you can support it.'”

So, in other words, the league will hold its nose and let those kinds of calls stay in the game.

Why? Vincent answered that question as well.

“We know the numbers: 91 out of the top 100 rated television shows last year were NFL games,” Vincent said Monday.

“Why? Because of the quality of play of the quarterback position from top to bottom. They keep the league healthy and strong. Everyone knows if your quarterback’s not healthy, then you don’t have a chance to win. And I experienced that for 15 years. Walking out of that tunnel you know if you have a chance to win by knowing who’s walking out of that tunnel with you, who’s going to be underneath the center.

“So we’re not changing the philosophy around [any controversial roughing the passer] call.”

And there you have it. Quarterbacks are the stars of the game. Quarterback play is the driving force behind offensive football. Offensive football leads to scoring, scoring leads to excitement, excitement leads to ratings, and ratings lead to money.

It is really that simple.

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