NFL Defends Ryan Clark's Hit on Wes Welker

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This might be the most shocking thing you'll hear all season: NFL head of officiating Mike Pereira says that when Ryan Clark tried to saw Wes Welker in half, he was well within the rules. As in: he shouldn't have been flagged.

Um ... what?

Don't misunderstand, I miss the days when players were actually allowed to tackle each other, it's just that the NFL -- through their actions this season, anyway -- have been advocating for just the opposite. Until Pereira escaped the compound, went through Kool-Aid detox and offered this, via the Boston Herald's Ron Borges:

"A lot of people think it's a foul to leave your feet," ... Pereira said yesterday from New York. "Launching is not a foul. There is nothing in the rulebook that states that at all. It's a misconception people have.

"It is a foul to hit with your helmet against a defenseless receiver. It is a foul to throw a forearm into the neck or head area of your opponent. I don't think either of those things happened. I'm not a fan of those high hits but if you do it with your shoulder you're OK."

Wow. I'll admit it: I was under the impression that leaving your feet and leveling a defenseless receiver was an automatic 15. Pereira, who will no doubt be fined by Commissar Goodell for straying off message, reiterates that Clark's hit was within the rules: "When you look at it and slow it down it probably was not an illegal hit. You might have to factor in that it was deflected early and does that make it become late. But the actual hit itself is probably OK."

Pereira does admit that although the hit was "okay," officials are told to err on the side of caution, hence the flag.

"The rule clearly states if you don't lead with your helmet it's not a foul, but we threw the flag and I'm happy we did because I think we need to do it when in real time it looks so tough. It looked like a decleater type hit."

Which sounds like the usual talking points. Still, it's good (and, frankly, shocking) to know that the NFL hasn't completely abandoned the notion of "tackling." Of course, given the league's arbitrary nature on meting out punishment, I fully expect Goodell to ban Clark for life.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

12-03-2008 @ 10:59AM

Craig said...

LOL, I love it! This is only proof that the NFL hates the Patriots! If I were a defenseman in the AFC East I'd consider this an open season on any and all Pats receivers...go get um boyz!!!

12-03-2008 @ 11:46AM

dubbz3000 said...

NFL defending Players?
wait a minute is today backwards day??

12-03-2008 @ 11:47AM

James said...

Craig, your a moron. In no way does the "NFL hate the Pats". Your ignorance baffles me. Also, the FLAG was thrown on that play, a 15 yard penalty was given, and Goodell will be sending a hefty fine to the ref who spoke out of turn. This is merely the opinion of one ref that was there. Like the end says, he will most likely be banned for LIFE, for saying what he has said.

Its the No Fun League for a reason.

12-03-2008 @ 11:49AM

Yall need to look into some extra reading comprehension classes.

The NFL is not defending anyone, a ref is. The NFL will be fining and most likely banning the ref for speaking like this.

12-03-2008 @ 12:04PM

Kevin said...

he has done nothing wrong but state what the NFL rule books declare to be allowable hits & non allowable hits. he should not be punished for clarifying what the rule book states . if for any reason he is suspended or fined .theirs is a group of fine politicians or congressional committee that Love's to investigate wrong doings of organization that think they are above the law or that the rules of law do not apply to them..

12-06-2008 @ 11:22PM

Big Football Fan said...

James,

It's rather comical that you're telling everyone to work on their reading comprehension. As the original post clearly states, the quotes you are reading are from Mike Pereira, the NFL Head of Oficiating. He is not a referee. He is the man who heads the section of the NFL which reviews every play of every game and grades the officials on the accuracy of their calls. So if Pereira says it was a clean hit and should not have been penalized then "the NFL" is saying it was a clean hit and should not have been penalized. And by the way, I'm not a Steelers fan or a Pats fan and I agree with Pereira. Just because a hit is violent and particularly effective against a small receiver that does not mean it is illegal or dirty.

12-03-2008 @ 12:50PM

Matty said...

Mike Pereira, the man quoted in the article is the NFL Head of Officiating. He is not just some ref who worked the game. The opinion he is espousing in the "Herald" which is sampled in the article above is the league's Official Repsonse. Pereira works very closely with Goodell, and does not speak out of turn. He never comments on plays like this until several days later (as is the case here) after the play has been extensively reviewed for legality and the Ofiicial Response is vetted through Goodell.

The play got flagged on the field because it was one of the nastiest looking hits ever in the sport of football. However, after review it was not illegal. The ball was LIVE (as in it had not yet hit the ground), it had been TIPPED, no whistle had blown, Clark did not hit Welker with his helmet, nor did he hit Welker in the head. There is no rule in the books against leaving your feet, only against driving a player into the ground, which Clark obviously DID NOT do.

Therefore: Clean hit, even though it was flagged.

Pats fans can learn to deal with it. Cryin' Tom ain't there to sway the refs anymore. Sucks when you gotta play by the same rules as everyone else, huh?

12-03-2008 @ 1:06PM

KENNA said...

Hey JAMES I think you are the moron the NFL definitly hates the PATRIOTS I have no idea why but they do go back and look at the jets game when all the league officals were celebrating with the Jets for beating the Pats hey maybe they should have more players out getting in trouble and talking trash and have no sportsmanship at all then maybe they would protect the patriot players.
Its a good thing WES WELKER is as tough as nails If it was a patriot he would have been fined

12-04-2008 @ 11:16AM

tony said...

I don't believe its the Pats the NFL hates, Its the Steelers. It appears the majority of the flags thrown for legal hard hits go to that dominating defense that alot of people love to hate. Ask Troy P. , I don't want to see anyone hurt but the players knew that this was a hard hitting game when they signed those lucrative contracts. I love the adjective SMASH MOUTH football,but I not sure how much longer we will be able to use it.

12-03-2008 @ 1:49PM

stilliz said...

Led with the shoulder, into the chest. Have any of you whiners ever played football? Since when was "don't hit him too hard next time" a rule? Face it, sometimes your guy gets creamed, and a legal hit like that rarely does serious damage. Wes should have been more aware of his surroundings, going over the middle with a tip ball nearby. If he has a head injury it was from impact with the ground, not from the hit. Hope he's ok.

12-03-2008 @ 2:00PM

Oh James...tsk, tsk...such a silly boy. Boards are for posting nonsense that doesn't matter to anyone. I'll try real hard to give a crap what you or anyone else thinks of me. In the meantime, here's to one for the defense!

12-03-2008 @ 4:28PM

jacks said...

What should of happened, like in the good old days is, one of welkers team mates should of took a cheap shot on the very next play. The league will fine the players, but the players need to handle their buss. on the field also. Its like a brush back pitch in baseball.

12-03-2008 @ 4:35PM

Jim said...

The penalty was for hitting a defenseless reciever. Also the ball was well past Welker when he got hit. I'm an NFC fan so I don't give a crap about either team but I'm totally against cheap shots no matter who does it. Welker, you are a real man for even getting up after that hit.

12-03-2008 @ 6:43PM

Thatsabsurd said...

Jim

What football league are you referring to? Powder puff league? Learn what is a clean hit and what a cheap hit is.

The hit by Clark on Welker was a clean hit.

Damn I love that hit gotta go watch it again. .

12-03-2008 @ 5:14PM

steve said...

To Jim
This was not a cheap shot! If the ball had not been tipped it would have been a perfectly timed hit and it would have dislodged the ball from Welkers hands. Clark had already committed to the tackle. There was no possible way to change direction or pull up. Once again, if you have never played, which is obvious by the cheap shot remarks, keep your pie hole shut. It was a clean-by-the-book hit.