NFL telling officials to eject players for helmet-to-helmet hits

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL has told its officiating crews to start ejecting players for flagrant helmet-to-helmet hits.

The new policy was outlined Saturday in a memo from supervisor of officials Mike Pereira, which was obtained by The Associated Press. It followed two fines last weekend for what the officiating department had determined were hits against players in defenseless positions.

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One fine was against Washington Redskins safety LaRon Landry, who will forfeit a game check of $16,764 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on New York Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens. The other was against Philadelphia defensive tackle LeJuan Ramsey, who was fined his game check of $21,176 for spearing Dallas' Julius Jones.

Two weeks ago, San Diego cornerback Drayton Florence was fined $15,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit that gave Houston quarterback Matt Schaub a concussion.

"Officials will be reminded this week to pay strict attention to these rules and disqualify the fouling player if the action is judged to be flagrant," Pereira wrote in the memo sent to the 32 NFL teams. "Actions that involve flagrant helmet to helmet contact are the likely acts that will include disqualification. Our commissioner and this office remain very focused on the safety of our players."

In the memo fining Landry and Ramsey, NFL director of football operations Gene Washington said emphasis would be on hits against players in defenseless positions.

Landry previously was fined $7,500 for two unnecessary roughness violations on Oct. 21 against Arizona. Ramsey was fined $5,000 on Oct. 14 for roughing the passer against the Jets.

After Florence was fined, the Texans complained that the punishment wasn't severe enough.

"We are disappointed in the sense that we have lost our starting quarterback for at least one game after the player took the crown of his helmet and delivered an illegal blow to Matt's jaw and the fine levied is only a small fraction of the player's weekly pay," general manager Rick Smith said.

"Is that equitable? The punishment doesn't appear to fit the crime when all factors are considered."

Anyone who stands by this faggotry never played football before! Especially defense.
It is almost impossible to play a whole football game as a linbacker and not hit someone helmet to helmet. GHEY!

Yea I was shocked to see this. I bet eventually its going to get to the point where hits like the Al Harris one is going to be illegal

the NFL will evenutally become a flag football league.

Yea, its getting bad. The No Fun League

Roger Goodell is an asshat 4 sure! Just look at EVERY descision he's made since taking over.

I agree..........I mean to out and out just purposely hit someone helmet to helmet......I mean, it's football not the Octogon..........

i think the rejection should depend on if it was done with the intent to hurt the other player but if it is done by mistake then it should just be 15 yards unless it is a repeated thing for that player then he should be rejected i think horse collar tackles should get u kicked out the game those end seasons

I agree............I mean some of the stuff that happens is nonsense...........just because it's a physical sport doesn't mean you have to hurt someone...............I mean, this is their jobs. Are any of us in danger of physical harm at our jobs to the point where we could end up paralyzed?

Goodell hasn't done anything so far. All he has done was suspend players and any commissioner could do that. Lmao at Yorr's comment. But it's true, eventually it's going to be a soft/boring league because of all the unnecessary rules they installed and are going to be install. The hoarse collar rule was made only because the injury happened to Terrel Owens and not a average player. The celebration rule is just plain ridiculous. And, now this rule is going too far. It's a physical sport but it won't be soon.

Seriously people. I played football for 8 years. I was a middle linebacker. I would estimate that i probably hit guys helmet to helmet 3-4 times a game without ever intentionally doing it. No joke. It is not possible to not hit helmet to helmet. You don't know how the opponent is going to move their head just before impact.