Is the NFL Getting Too Dirty?

There's no question that the play of certain players may tip-toe the line of legality within the rules the NFL has drafted. But is the league getting too dirty?

In Week 16, James Harrison, one of the league's most criticized defensive players, will return to the field after his controversial one-game suspension for a hit he placed on Browns' quarterback Colt McCoy.

Was the suspension warranted given Harrison's history with the league office? Probably.

But does that suspension tab him as a dirty player? I'm not so sure, and that goes for any player in the league—even, yes, Ndamukong Suh.

Suh isn't dirty, he's just stupid.

No one is going to argue that Harrison and Suh's on-field incidents didn't put a black eye on how good of football players they are. In most cases, many people label them as "dirty football players." But let's remember what sport they're playing.

There have been outcries over entire defensive units being dirty—for example, Suh's Detroit Lions.

Like I said, let's remember what sport this is. This is a contact sport, people. The Lions aren't dirty, and I'm confident saying that. They're young and emotional. Don't get it twisted.

I think what we need to take a closer look at is the Commissioner's office and the regulations that Roger Goodell has implemented during his tenure—most notably being how quick the whistle comes out whenever a quarterback hits the ground. I mean, you can't even touch Tom Brady without getting slapped with 15 yards anymore.

I understand that player safety is at the highest priority, but when does it stop? The answer is that it isn't going to stop. When is Goodell going to realize that?

The NFL isn't getting too dirty, it's becoming too soft.. No one knows what's allowed anymore. This is a contact sport. You're supposed to inflict pain upon your opponent. That's how you win in this league, and right now, the NFL is not winning.