Fans Ripped The NFL’s New ‘Roughing The Passer’ Rule To Shreds During Tonight’s Season Opener

In the offseason the NFL added several new rules to prevent injuries and to make the game safer.

One of the new rules implemented this offseason has been dubbed the “Aaron Rodgers Rule,” because it was put into place to prevent the injury that occurred when Anthony Barr drove into the Packers QB after a tackle last season.

Here’s the rule via the NFL officiating handbook.

A rushing defender is prohibited from committing such intimidating and punishing acts as “stuffing” a passer into the ground or unnecessarily wrestling or driving him down after the passer has thrown the ball, even if the rusher makes his initial contact with the passer within the one-step limitation provided for in (a) above. When tackling a passer who is in a defenseless posture (e.g., during or just after throwing a pass), a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw him down or land on top of him with all or most of the defender’s weight. Instead, the defensive player must strive to wrap up the passer with the defensive player’s arms and not land on the passer with all or most of his body weight.

In the second quarter of tonight’s season opener between the Falcons and the Eagles, Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was flagged for the new roughing the passer rule when he was unable to prevent his body weight from falling on top of Eagles QB Nick Foles.


Let’s just say NFL fans aren’t happy with the new rules.

Jorge Alonso BroBible avatar
Brobible sports editor. Jorge is a Miami native and lifelong Heat fan. He has been covering the NBA, MLB and NFL professionally for almost 10 years, specializing in digital media.