“It’s Taking The Fun Out Of The Game”: Thielen reacts to NFL taunting penalties

(KDLM) – It’s not a secret that players, coaches, fans, analysts (anybody, really…) aren’t fans of the NFL’s new crackdown on taunting during games.

By definition, taunting in the NFL is “a form of unsportsmanlike conduct. Includes any prolonged and premeditated celebrations by players, including those that use props such as the end zone pylon in a touchdown celebration.” And while the NFL hasn’t changed the definition of the rule in the book, but game officials are definitely cracking down on players celebrating after a big play, as well as excessive trash talk on the field.

In 2020, there were a total of 10 taunting penalties the entire season. Entering Week 10 in 2021, there are already 27. And the players are noticing.

Vikings Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen, whose team has zero taunting penalties, took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to voice his frustrations:

“It’s taking the fun out of the game,” Thielen wrote. “These calls are affecting games when they have nothing to do with the game! I think it’s time that these refs are full-time employees and have to study and know the game just like the players/coaches and have accountability.”

In August, the NFL released a statement letting players know that they would be cracking down on taunting, unsportsmanlike conduct, and excessive celebrations.

“We saw an increase in actions that clearly are not within the spirit and intent of this rule and not representative of the respect to opponents and others on the field,” the statement said.

“That’s something we discuss every year in the competition committee, we get kind of sick and tired of the talking that does go on from time to time on the field,” said New York Giants owner John Mara, who also sits on the NFL competition committee. “We try to balance the sportsmanship with allowing the players to have fun. There’s always a fine line. None of us like to see that. It’s just a question of whether you can have rules that can be enforced without taking the fun out of the game, too. Nobody wants to see a player taunting another player. I know I certainly don’t. I know the rest of the members of the competition committee feel the same, too.”

The taunting debate came to a head on Monday Night Football between the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. After making a big sack to set up a fourth down late in the game, Bears linebacker Cassius Marsh took six steps towards the Pittsburgh sideline, showed “a bit of swagger”, then ran back to his own sideline. Referee Tony Corrente threw the flag.

“First of all, keep in mind that taunting is a point of emphasis this year,” Corrente said after the game. “And with that said, I saw the player, after he made a big play, run toward the bench area of the Pittsburgh Steelers and posture in such a way that I felt he was taunting them.”

The journeyman Marsh, who has played for eight teams since being drafted by Seattle in 2014, was cut by the Steelers last August. Marsh was signed by the Bears on November 3rd.

The situation didn’t become any clearer as Marsh and Corrente made contact after the play, which is when Corrente threw the flag for taunting. Making contact with a league official is an automatic ejection from the game.

“I had no idea ’til I got to the sideline,” Marsh said. “One of our coaches was upset, and he had the right to be. That was a big penalty at a big point in the game, and I cost my team. Whether I agree with the call or not, it cost us in a very crucial time so I definitely feel a lot of remorse for costing my team a possible victory.”

“I think we all understand it’s a very, very emotional game,” said Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy. “That’s not excusing anything, but we gotta be smart. And it’s all an emphasis this year, right? It’s a major emphasis. We all as coaches and players gotta make sure that you just don’t even put it in the gray area. Don’t put it in that area. You guys did a great job, you worked like hell to get off the field so come off the field and celebrate with your guys. It’s one of those deals, we know they’re emphasizing it.”

The Chicago Bears are now tied for the league lead in taunting penalties with three. Seattle and Jacksonville also have three. 14 NFL teams do not have a taunting penalty against them yet.