Was Clay Matthews targeted by NFL refs and officials while playing in Wisconsin? According to numerous fans, some media personalities, even ex-NFL football players, Matthews either had a target on his back while with the Green Bay Packers or was made an example of by the league and allegedly after changing rules wording to fit the purpose. More importantly now, is Clay Matthews targeted today after changing teams and cities?
This will be a growing concern (putting it mildly) should the first three weeks of the relationship between Matthews and NFL refs in 2018 season be repeated. Los Angeles Rams fans had reason to be distracted last year after the bar had been raised by the team’s first post-season in over a decade. But 2019’s expectations are considerably higher. Matthews out west is a big part of why that is. It’s probably wise to have that dialogue out on the table in advance. I’ll go first…
Zebras, this is Los Angeles, not Green Bay, WI. Are we going to have a problem?
Is Clay Matthews Targeted by Refs in 2019?
During a smack-talk based conversation with a friend in Appleton, WI following Week One’s opening game, a disturbing reference stung my eardrums:
“Clay Matthews. Poster boy for roughing the passer.”
Afterwards, I looked into it. Sure enough. It was, in fact, an actual ex-NFL linebacker who had first said this. Six-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl Champion ex-Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, James “Deebo” Harrison. His meaning, the NFL wanted to make Matthews the primary example of what not to do. He was, after all, the perfect highly-visible superstar. Harrison himself had been the poster child for the excessive violence problems in the NFL. Now he was part of a growing number of ex-players now sounding off about how the league’s been growing soft.
By Week Three of 2018, many were indeed sounding off as social media began to blow up. Three weeks into the season and for the third straight week Matthews was getting called for roughing the passer. It was widely agreed that while he deserved Week One’s call, Weeks Two and Three were ridiculous. See for yourself:
(Video sequence in order: Week One vs Chicago Bears, Week Two vs Minnesota Vikings, Week Three vs Washington Redskins)
The Aftermath
While the players and coaches all get it and agree with the fact that the NFL wants to make the game safer, the increasing fear is that the pureness of the game will soon be lost forever.
“IT’S FOOTBALL!” is what will continue to be repeated but there’s often an apparent gap in opinions and interpretations between those that change the rules and those that have actually played the game. Players understand the various nuances and how complicated (or impossible) a task players are asked to make can become. Ex-player Mike Golic probably said it best:
The Devil Is in the Details
What wasn’t openly and honestly talked about by the league might be quite telling and something to consider going forward. This particular story goes…
During a 2017 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Packers, linebacker Anthony Barr torpedoed himself into Aaron Rodgers. It appeared to be late, Rodgers had released the pass. Rodgers landed hard on the ground, breaking his collarbone. Today this is surely a penalty. That day, not so much. The 2017 rule book clarified, “a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw [the quarterback] down and land on top of him with most or all of the defender’s weight.”
Repeating, Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone.
A year later, the rule book had subtly been changed. The 2018 rule book changes read, “a defensive player must not violently throw [the quarterback] down or land on top of him with most or all of the defender’s weight.” Doesn’t this sound like a much wider blanket?
My favorite Sling TV!!! (More, Please) pic.twitter.com/VQ7pXaUmoX
— Mob Times~2021 NFL Champs ★👑𝓛𝓐 𝓡𝓪𝓶𝓼👑★ (@GridDawgs247) September 7, 2019
Matthews Targeted or Not, NFL’s 100th Anniversary Year Won’t Be Flawless
The 100th year of the NFL is already bogged down with drama if you haven’t noticed. We certainly don’t need more. 2019 (and beyond) promises this growing market too many thrills to have to deal with such unnecessary drama. Sacrifices can be made on both sides. Here’s one proposal.
Guys in stripes, clean the slate and forget everything that might have been said in the past 12 months. Yank down all those crazy memes you may or may not have inspired, printed out and now use for bulletin board material.
Mr. Matthews, you could do well to take lessons from his teammate, Aaron Donald. Donald grabs jerseys and slings quarterbacks around like rag dolls. Of course, this, too, might be banned someday if the wrong quarterback gets hurts.
Or better still, Von Miller had this to say when asked his feelings on the Clay Matthews matter.
That works, too!
