Future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt, who posted one of the links to the video that resulted in Warren’s fine, said on Pat McAfee’s show on Wednesday that he received a lot of support from other defensive superstars, including himself. Watt claimed that many of his responses included the phrase “I can’t even tell which player we should be looking at.” Watt argues that if viewers have to go to such lengths to witness an infraction that the referees (allegedly) missed in real time, perhaps it isn’t worth such a large fine.
Maybe we shouldn’t be keeping the guy’s entire paycheck if we have to do that. His play is unpaid. He really is playing for nothing when he goes outside. Two consecutive weeks,” Watt remarked. What are you expecting him to do? The man weighs 300 pounds.
“Let us discuss about sliced blocks. Let’s discuss about a tight end who crosses the formation and lobs his head at a player’s knee. attempting to eliminate a player. Completely compliant with the regulations, according to Watt. “To literally blow someone’s knee off is the aim of a cut block. That’s alright with us. However, we’re going to withhold this man’s entire salary for attempting to stop a 300-pounder?
Please have someone on the edit desk put the emoji for applause here for me. Stay put. It will do this.
Who else is looking forward to Joaquin Phoenix’s role in “Napoleon”? Yes, I am. However, I’m afraid it will just be him as Commodus from “Gladiator,” albeit with a different kind of absurd hat.
Await. When did I go? Yes, you are correct. The deliberate destruction of the once-great game of professional football by Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Apologies. Back to the idea that was previously conceived.
Watt then raised a point that I have been bringing up ever since it was announced that flag football would be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The conversation about flag football? We’re introducing it to the Olympics now. I adore flag football. It’s an amazing sport. But as a league, we are literally moving in that direction. It’s okay if that’s how you want to be as a league. Simply say it. However, I don’t like the middle ground we’re in at the moment, Watt said.
Watt is entirely correct. When their favorite team lost following a dubious, needless roughness penalty, irate sports talk radio hosts would frequently use the hyperbolic claim that the NFL “wants to turn itself into flag football.”
It’s no longer hyperbole. It appears as though the NFL is setting the groundwork for that direction to be taken by the game. It
That’s a wise move because it probably deters wary parents from allowing their young children to play football, even if it’s not full tackle.
However, the Olympics angle seems like a significant step toward the idea that flag football is a “real” sport and not just something for recreational league play and youth sports.
Do you want some proof? Watch the pregame interview from last week’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcast on NBC again. The support of NFL players who wish to “assemble a team” for the 2028 games is, well, let’s say, mentioned quite a bit.
Mike Tirico speaks with Casey Wasserman about the addition of flag football to the @LA28 Olympics. pic.twitter.com/zTtf08SCx6
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) October 29, 2023
Goodell was hoping that every fan watching at the same time thought, “Well, if the players love flag football as an Olympic (or professional) sport, I should, too.”
Consider me to be exaggerating? Alright. See how the NFL broadcast partner, NBC, will cover the Olympics in 2028 and how the rules will have changed by then.
Let’s get together again at this point to assess our progress. I anticipate being bothered.
