New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has never been known to be long-winded on his answers to reporters, but when asked about the emphasis on the roughing the passer rule this year, Belichick defended his coaches' teaching tactics.
Although there is an emphasis on roughing the passer this year, technically the rule hasn't changed, so Belichick and the rest of the Patriots coaches aren't changing how they teach defensive players to hit the quarterback.
Transcribed by Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith:
“They’re not new rules,” he said. “I mean, you’re not allowed to lead with your head, you’re not allowed to body slam the quarterback, you’re not allowed to hit him below the knees, you’re not allowed to hit him above the shoulders. And, if he’s out of the pocket, then some of those rules change, and if he’s in the pocket, you’re allowed to horse collar him. I mean, the rules are the rules. So, I mean, I hope you’re not implying that we’ve been coaching something that was illegal and now we’re changing the way we’re coaching it, because that’s simply not the case. So, I’m not really sure what new rule it is you’re talking about here. We’ve coached the rules as they’ve been written and as we’ve received them. So, whatever the emphasis is the emphasis is, but that doesn’t change the fundamental of the rule. I’ve never taught anybody to hit a quarterback above the shoulders or hit him below the knees or body slam him or lead with our helmet and spear him – like we’ve never taught that. So, I’m not really sure what you’re referring to.”
The Patriots have usually been good with new rule changes and figuring out the best way to make sure they aren't flagged, and this new emphasis has been no different. The Patriots haven't been flagged yet this year for a roughing the passer penalty, so whatever Belichick and his crew are teaching has been working on the field.
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