In the offseason the NFL has implemented 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.
During today’s Vikings-Jags preseason game, Vikings’ Antwione Williams sacked Jaguars backup QB Cody Kessler and was called for “roughing the passer” for a play that would have been pretty routine in the past.
Of course NFL fans were absolutely furious with the new rule.
Between this rule and the new lowering the helmet rule, the game of football may have changed overnight.
h/t CBS Sports