NFL Rumors: Roughing-the-Passer Penalty Changes to Be Discussed amid Week 5 Criticism

Roughing-the-passer penalties took center stage in Week 5 thanks to calls that benefited Tom Brady and Derek Carr, and that will reportedly lead to discussion within the NFL office.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), the league will discuss such penalties "amid outrage over two disputed calls."

It should be noted that changes are not expected to happen during the 2022 campaign. The AP's source also said the league didn't tell officials to call roughing-the-passer penalties more often after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's high-profile concussion.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post provided more context, echoing the idea the league won't be intervening as the season progresses:

Fortunately for the Kansas City Chiefs, a roughing-the-passer penalty called against Chris Jones during Monday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders didn't prove costly in the end.

Jones created a key turnover right before halftime with a strip-sack of Carr, but officials deemed the play a penalty, keeping the ball in the Raiders' possession. Las Vegas ended up with a field goal to go up 20-7, although the Chiefs eventually notched a 30-29 comeback victory.

"The quarterback is in the pocket and he's in a passing posture. He gets full protection of all the aspects of what we give the quarterback in a passing posture," official Carl Cheffers said after the game while explaining the flag. "My ruling was the defender landed on him with full body weight. The quarterback is protected from being tackled with full body weight."

The Atlanta Falcons weren't as fortunate as the Chiefs.

Atlanta scored 15 consecutive points after falling behind 21-0 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday and had the opportunity to get the ball back for one more possession at the end with a defensive stop.

Grady Jarrett appeared to notch a critical sack of Brady, but he was whistled for roughing the passer on a play that didn't have him landing on the all-time great with his full body weight like what could have been argued with the sack of Carr.

Tampa Bay was given a first down as a result and proceeded to run out the clock for a win.

It is notable that officials reportedly weren't given a mandate to focus on the penalty given the headlines the Tagovailoa situation generated by the league and NFLPA agreeing to modify the concussion protocols, but the flags were still a major storyline in Week 5.