Taunting penalties will be a point of emphasis this season, a decision made by the NFL that has been met with much criticism.
Giants co-owner John Mara, who is a member of the NFL Competition Committee, defended the rationale behind that decision while speaking with reporters on Tuesday, explaining that there was widespread agreement among those who make the rules.
“That’s something we discuss every year in the Competition Committee,” he said. “We get kind of sick and tired of the talking that does go on from time to time on the field. We tried to balance the sportsmanship with allowing the players to have fun and there’s always a fine line there, but none of us like to see that.
“It’s just a question of whether you can have rules that can be enforced and without taking the fun out of the game too, but nobody wants to see a player taunting another player. I know, I certainly don’t. I think the rest of the members of the Competition Committee feel the same way, too.”
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Mara, 66, appears to have a differing view from a large portion of the fan base, particularly younger fans on social media who have voiced complaints about the rule.
Over the weekend, a flag was thrown negating a 14-yard run by Colts running back Benny LeMay because he flexed toward a player after pushing the defense forward for extra yards.
The call was met with criticism from fans who are worried that penalties for such mild actions could negatively affect the game.
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