JJ Watt gives take on NFL's taunting penalty emphasis: 'Let these guys show their personalities'

It was 3 years agone erstwhile the NFL went to its officials and reminded them to marque definite they propulsion flags erstwhile they spot taunting connected the gridiron.

After 4 weeks this season, the NFL is nudging referees again, according to Pro Football Talk, arsenic determination is simply a "point of clarification" arsenic to what is categorized arsenic taunting aft fines person been dished retired for it contempt nary flags being thrown. 

However, what defines taunting appears to beryllium a grey country for immoderate officiating crews, and galore players, existent and former, are not fans of however inconsistent the calls tin be. 

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Houston Texans erstwhile antiaircraft extremity J.J. Watt successful attendance arsenic the Pittsburgh Steelers instrumentality connected the Tennessee Titans astatine Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

While aboriginal Hall of Fame antiaircraft lineman J.J. Watt understands officials indispensable locomotion a good enactment with these taunting penalties, helium does privation to spot much of the players’ personalities connected afloat display. 

After all, this is shot and having those competitory juices tally precocious tin pb to immoderate banter and trash-talk. 

"I deliberation there’s surely a enactment you tin draw, and guys tin autumn connected some sides of it," Watt told Fox News Digital portion besides discussing his ain contention with his brothers, T.J. and Derek, with Old El Paso’s "Watt Can Taco." "I bash deliberation that immoderate much solemnisation and enjoyment and adjacent a small trash speech should beryllium allowed. I mean, it is simply a competitory game, it’s astatine the highest level. Emotions are high, and portion of the amusive is the emotion of it all."

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Watt precocious commented connected a taunting telephone successful Week 4 against Dallas Cowboys prima wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who was flagged for it aft scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants. Lamb was seen jawing astatine a Giants defender and tossed the shot successful his wide absorption erstwhile the emblem came in. 

Watt did not consciousness that was a infinitesimal erstwhile it was necessary.

"It’s not similar helium whipped it astatine his caput oregon anything," helium said. "It’s not similar it adjacent deed the guy, truthful those are the ones I’m like, ‘Yeah, each right, helium had a small spot of emotion. It wasn’t thing crazy, helium conscionable scored this agelong touchdown. Is that truly immoderate clip we request to propulsion the flag?'

"Those are the ones wherever it’s kinda similar – I get that’s however the refs are taught to bash it. They don’t privation it escalate into thing bigger. But let’s person a small more. This is an amusement concern astatine the extremity of it. Let’s fto these guys amusement their personalities. As agelong arsenic it’s not physically interacting with an opponent, oregon it’s not doing a weapon celebration, fto them amusement a small bit."

CBS expert J.J. Watt connected the tract earlier Super Bowl LVIII betwixt the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers astatine Allegiant Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Where Watt does judge the NFL is getting it close is mimicking shooting guns.

"Now, the weapon celebrations, that’s clear-cut," helium said. "They’re going to good that each time, they’re going to emblem that each time. That is conscionable a subordinate not caring oregon not truly wanting to travel the rules. We each cognize you can’t fake a weapon retired there, and that I’m good with."

This season, determination person been 5 full taunting penalties called, with the Washington Commanders having 2 of them. However, a subordinate similar Philadelphia Eagles information C.J. Gardner-Johnson has already been fined 3 times successful 2 games contempt ne'er receiving a emblem for taunting.

However, with this "clarification" from the league, possibly fans are astir to spot immoderate much laundry connected the tract erstwhile players spell backmost and distant with each other. 

Former Houston Texans subordinate J.J. Watt speaks to the assemblage aft being inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor during the crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

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Watt conscionable hopes the flags are warranted – conscionable similar the remainder of the players. 

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