Last weekend entailed multiple fights both before games. As expected, the NFL reminded all teams of the relevant rules this week.
The league also made some pretty clear threats about what will happen if it happens again.
PFT has obtained a memo sent to all chief executives, presidents, General Managers, and coaches regarding fighting on game day.
“Sportsmanship and respect are at the core of NFL football, and fighting is irreconcilable with these values,” the memo explains. “Fighting is never acceptable, as it risks unnecessary injury to players, coaches, officials, and other game day personnel. These actions send an inappropriate and unacceptable message to players, coaches, and fans at all other levels of the game.”
The memo states that the game-day policies are “clear” when it comes to fighting, and that they were reviewed with the owners at this week’s quarterly meetings in New York.
"[T]here should be no ambiguity or misunderstanding,” the memo explains. The memo also explains the various steps that will be taken to enforce the rules.
For starters, the two teams will be required to warm-up in their designated areas, within their own 45-yard lines. (That’s how it was supposed to be; last week, a pair of fights started because that didn’t occur.)
“We will strictly enforce these policies, with both NFL Football Operations staff and Game Officials closely monitoring team activities prior to and during the Official Team Warm-Up Period,” the memo explains.
The memo warns that players and others could be ejected for fighting before and during a game, along with other potential punishment. Also, the memo says that teams could be subject to the loss of draft picks and/or significant fines.
“More significant accountability measures” might apply to teams whose players or non-players “join a fight already in progress.”
With all that said, the league imposed no fines of any kind for last week’s pre-game fights. That could be a recognition of the reality that perhaps things had gotten a little lax when it comes to keeping teams separated before games, across the league.
So in lieu of whacking the Cowboys, Chargers, 49ers, and/or Browns, the league has issued all teams a clear reminder that things must change. Now.
If they don’t, there will be ejections, fines, possible suspensions, potential loss of draft picks, and even stronger punishments if a team’s players or non-players rush to join a fight that already has begun.