Ron Rivera on taunt penalties: You can celebrate, but we’re trying to prevent a brawl

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As a member of the NFL Competitions Committee, Washington head coach Ron Rivera has a say in where officials are concerned throughout the season.

Over the course of two weeks, the focus on provocative fouls drew much criticism, especially from NFL Players’ Association president JC Tretter. So far, officials have thrown 11 taunt flags, the same number of taunt fouls that were handed out throughout the entire 2020 season. Even Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said even if the accent point was a good idea, it is difficult to manage it.

Rivera responded to some of the criticism on Tuesday by saying the purpose of the focus was to keep little things from turning into big problems.

“We had this example where a guy makes fun of a guy and then the guy comes back for a little rematch and the next thing you know, you have a big fight on your hands“Rivera said, via Nicki Jhabvala of Washington post. “You got guys from left field hitting each other. And that’s really what, for me, I think, the refs are relevant for – they’re just trying to calm him down. And that’s really what – I mean, you can celebrate. They sent a tape explaining exactly what is laughing and what is not. I think if you watch the tape and follow it that makes sense.

“I mean, I’m all for the celebrations. Remember, we [with the Panthers] were the 2015 team that everyone was mad at because we were dabbing and stuff like that, taking pictures on the sidelines. So you want these guys to keep their personalities. You want them to be who they are because these guys are explosive players who make dynamic games. But the intention is that someone doesn’t do something that brings someone back with a little retribution. You don’t want that. You don’t want someone to take revenge. This is what we are trying to prevent.

“And, again, if we want to [be] or not, we are examples. We are role models. So if you’re going to do something, do it right. Get up and drop your ball, do your dab, or dance, or whatever. But don’t do it to someone. Don’t step on someone or slide your leg over someone. This is what we are trying to prevent.

Rivera added that players can still do all kinds of things to celebrate – as long as they’re not headed against an opponent.

“The guys are intercepting [a pass] and running to the end zone – that’s good, ”said Rivera. “We’re not trying to stop the players from having fun. We’re just trying to make sure we don’t end up with a fight on our hands. Because it’s the other thing, we don’t want that. It’s a great sport. We have a large fan base. People like to watch the games. And there are some who like to watch the fights, but we don’t need the fights. We really don’t. And we don’t need someone to be hurt unnecessarily.

The problem becomes that sometimes what might initially sound like a taunt isn’t really – so the accent point puts all opposing player interactions at risk. So, until something changes, players should be aware that any move that appears to be aimed at an opponent could cost their team 15 yards.