Rich McKay Q&A: Points of emphasis 'unquestionably' have driven fouls up
Rich McKay, president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons, also is chairman of the nine-member NFL Competition Committee, made up of coaches and team executives. For 21 years, McKay has been a member of the committee, which makes recommendations on rule changes to NFL owners. The committee also recommends what are called "points of emphasis" – not new rules but adjustments in the enforcement of existing rules. This year's points of emphasis include stricter enforcement of rules governing contact downfield in the passing games, such as illegal contact and holding by defensive backs and offensive pass interference by receivers. Illegal contact calls have more than tripled. Defensive holding and pass interference are up as well. In a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports, the impact and reasons behind this season's points of emphasis.
Q: When you see other coaches and team executives, do they blame you if they've just had a tough illegal contact or defensive holding call?
A: (Laugh) "They blame members of the Competition Committee for a lot of things, and we understand it. But in this case, I think that when it comes to points of emphasis, I don't think they look to the committee members as being the one who that are driving it. Because what happens in the process, when an offseason agenda is developed like last year, that's the result of a league wide survey to all of the clubs where their input is what drives ... proposed rule emphasis. So in the end, the Competition Committee may form the formal agenda. But the agenda is really formed, if you will, by the members."
Q: Who participates in the surveys?
A: "It goes to the presidents, and it goes to the owners, and it goes to the coaches and GMs. Usually, we get upwards of 100 responses, and we kind of use that to gauge what people are seeing in the game, what people like about the game and what people think we should consider changing about the game."
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Q: How do you think the points of emphasis have been handled so far this season?
A: "It has unquestionably driven fouls up. (Through 14 weeks there were 16.2 fouls per game compared to 14.4 through the same period last season). … We've been in the 14 range the last probably 10 years. But that range where we are now for total fouls in a game is really right in the historical range where we were for 30 years. If you look from 1975-2005, I think we were at 16.22 fouls a game. … So we're actually below that. I think there's no question that illegal contact fouls are up, defensive holding fouls are up, offensive pass interference fouls are up. And we anticipated that. But I don't think they're up beyond historical levels."
Q: How do you feel about it when the Falcons get a tough illegal contact penalty?
A: "Sometimes my boss might look at me or my head coach (another laugh). But no, I mean I think the thing about rules – whether they're points of emphasis or whether they're rules changes – is I think the league office … now Dean Blandino (vice president of officiating), they do a very good job of making sure that everybody knows in advance in the offseason, in the preseason and now into the regular season how the call is going to be officiated. So I don't think people complain when calls are officiated the way they know they're going to be. I think people do complain when they're caught off guard by how they're officiated. And I this case I think the league office and Dean were very clear on how these downfield calls, including offensive pass interference, would be officiated."
Q: The NFL has record scoring last year. Why were these points of emphasis needed?
A: "I think when you looked at downfield, and especially when you talked to the people in the league the members clubs … there was a lot more contact, a lot more grabbing, pulling that was going on downfield than had gone on through the years. And it was just kind of a time to emphasize it and clean it back up. We've done it a lot over the years. But it felt like, and the tape certainly showed, that there's a lot more contact going on downfield than there had been in years past."
Q: Not just by the Super Bowl champions from last year, the Seattle Seahawks?
A: "Not at all. … You've seen their team adjust pretty well. (Seattle was ranked No. 1 in overall defense and No. 1 in pass defense through 15 weeks). … It's never driven by that (one team). Again, this is driven by a league of 32 teams."
Q: What about offensive pass interference?
A: "It is up … but it's not like the numbers are overwhelming when you look at in on a per game basis (through 15 weeks there were 123 calls compared to 68 in the same span last year). But I think it's because when you emphasize something to a defensive player about getting the hands off after five yards and so forth, one of the pushbacks you get from the defensive coaches is, 'Okay, we can do that, we understand that's what the rules provide. But you can't at the top of the route allow the offensive player to use their arms as leverage.' So I think that's what's going on."
Q: In the survey feedback, was there a thread that they wanted less contact and more consistency?
A: "One thing that we as a league are always going to strive for is more consistency. And what consistency means is it starts with the idea that the rules are officiated the way they're written in the book so everybody can anticipate how they're going to be officiated. And I think that comes sometimes to points of emphasis when all of a sudden tactics show up or approaches to rules – whether it's offense or defense – show up that don't get officiated exactly the way they are in the rule book. And sometimes that will require a point of emphasis – or a rule change.''
Q: There's been some downward movement in the numbers of calls since early in the season. Have teams been adjusting?
A: "I'm not big on commenting on the numbers during a season. … We've always said that for real points of emphasis and real rules changes, it takes two years. It takes time for players to adjust and to conform their conduct to the rules. I think when you look at fouls downfield now that are occurring for hits on defenseless receivers, you've seen that number comes way down this year. You've seen the fine numbers come way down this year and last year. Why? Because players become more comfortable. They understand the rules and how they're going to be officiated, and they're conforming their play to those rules. The same is true in this instance. … I think it will take time. It might take another season as teams and as players adjust."
Q: If more penalties were making games longer, there would be criticism. How is it the average time of game has actually gone down (3:05:56 this year compared to 3:08:17 last year)?
A: "I give the credit to the officiating department. I think when you see the administration of the game and the way we've created the wireless communication between the officials on the field and the way we're administering replay, I just think that Dean Blandino and his staff and the on-field officials have done a really good job streamlining that process. And that's important to fans. Fans don't want to see a lot of stoppages. Fans want to see football."
Q: The goal posts uprights were raised by five feet to help officiate field goals tries that sail over the top of the upright? Have seen a kick where that has helped make a difference?
A: "I have not. Now, I know we're looking at that because I know we've got guys in the league office that who will come and report to the Competition Committee because we wanted them to look at it to figure if it was having an impact. … Remember, it's just those ones that go over the top … that are hard to officiate."
Note: After this interview, on the Pittsburgh Steelers final clock-eating drive in a 27-20 victory last Sunday in Atlanta, the Steelers were aided by an illegal contact call against the Falcons after an incomplete third-down pass.
Members of the NFL Competition Committee
Rich McKay (Chairman), president/CEO Atlanta Falcons
Jeff Fisher, coach, St. Louis Rams
Stephen Jones, CEO, executive vice president/director of player personnel, Dallas Cowboys
Marvin Lewis, coach, Cincinnati Bengals
John Mara, president/CEO, New York Giants
Mark Murphy, president/CEO, Green Bay Packers
Ozzie Newsome, general manager/executive vice president, Baltimore Ravens
Rick Smith, general manager/executive vice president of football operations, Houston Texans
Mike Tomlin, coach, Pittsburgh Steelers
Source: NFL
NFL by the numbers
2013: 3226 (14.4 penalties per game, 224 games)
2014: 3635 (16.2 penalties per game, 224 games)
Penalties: (2013 Through Week 15) (2014 Through Week 15)
Illegal Contact: (45) (137)
Defensive Holding: (198) (314)
Offensive Pass Interference: (68) (123)
Illegal Use of Hands: (90) (209)
Unnecessary Roughness: (269) (221)
Taunting/Unsportsmanlike: (68) (81)
Game Time: (3:08:17) (3:05:56)