Many defensive players are quite displeased with the NFL’s growing restrictions on the types of hits that are allowed during games. One assistant coach has a message for those players—deal with it.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said Wednesday that those on defense have no choice but to get with the times, according to USA TODAY Sports.
"You can complain all you want, (but) you better adjust," he explained, "because that's how the game's getting called."
Sutton added his team is doing what they can to make sure their defensive guys are not penalized.
“One of the things we tell our players all the time: In any game, some officials are going to be tighter than others,” he said. “Not just in regards to the hits, but in anything, from (pass interference) to holding to whatever. … You've got to figure that out quickly as the game goes on – what way are they tilted a little bit this week?
According to the coordinator, the Chiefs coaching staff reviews controversial hits with their players in an effort to teach the players.
“We try to show them all the time," Sutton said. "I think the players overall, across the league, are trying to adjust and adapt to the way the rules are being enforced. They're part of the game, and it's really not important whether you agree or don't agree – this is how they're called.”
USA TODAY Sports reports 25 penalties (in the category of unnecessary roughness. personal fouls, etc.) occurred during the first full week of the 2013 preseason. Sixty percent of those penalties resulted in a grand total of $159,625 worth of fines.
