Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews is not the biggest fan of the NFL at the moment after he was penalized late in the third quarter of yesterday’s game against the Washington Redskins when he tackled and landed on quarterback Alex Smith with his full body weight.

The Packers ended up losing 31-17, which left a disgruntled Matthews saying that the league is “getting soft.” Matthews, 32, received another penalty for tackling Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins last week when both teams tied.

“Unfortunately, this league's going in a direction I think a lot of people don't like. I think they're getting soft,” he said. “The only thing hard about this league is the fines they levy down on guys like me who play the game hard.”

Meanwhile, the NFL Football Operations defended the penalty, tweeting, “This is a foul for roughing the passer - the defender lands ‘with all or most of the defender’s weight’ on the passer. Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9(b).” The rule started being implemented last season after Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone when he was driven to the ground during a play. Players are now not allowed to fall on quarterbacks with all or most of their body weight.

NEXT: PACKERS BLAME QB ROUGHING CALLS FOR DEFENSIVE DIFFICULTY

Via Chippewa Herald

In football, roughing the passer refers to making contact with the passer—usually, the quarterback—after the passer has released the ball from his hands. Making contact with the quarterback while he is in possession of the ball, meaning attempting a quarterback sack, is a permitted act of defense in football.

“Obviously when you're tackling a guy from the front you're gonna land on him,” Matthews said. “I understand the spirit of the rule, I said that weeks prior. But when you have a hit like that, that's a football play.”

Matthews, a six-time Pro Bowl defender, said he talked to Smith about the move afterward but didn’t mention the specifics of the exchange. Referee Craig Wrolstad, who called the penalty, believes Matthews could have avoided the sanction if he wanted to. “If you've got a shoulder into him and then landed on him with most of his body weight off him or released him when he went down, then he would have been OK,” Wrolstad said. “But in my judgment, I ruled that he landed on him with most or all of his body weight there.”

Matthews has been the first defensive player since 2001 to be penalized for roughing the passer in each of the first three games this season, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Via Big World News

The penalty has been widely ridiculed on social media, many posting pics of dad’s cradling their kids as a way of showing how linebackers should sack quarterbacks. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report ridiculed the penalty writing, "Be delicate. No tussling of hair. Wedgies will lead to ejections. No harsh language, finger-pointing or sarcasm aimed at them. Tickling will be a 15-yard penalty. Talking about a quarterback's momma will lead to a fine."

A Packers fan has even started a GoFundMe page to help cover the fines that players may accumulate during the season. Adam Waraxa started the page after Matthews was flagged yesterday. The goal for the page is $30,000. It has raised $280 so far. Apparently, fans may sympathize with Matthews, but not to the extent that they want to pay his fines.

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