quote:

ORIGINAL: Cheesehead Craig

quote:

ORIGINAL: marty
It was legitimate, but before that, they SHOULD have flagged Matthews for taking his helmet off on the field of play.

Actually, I'd like to address this seeing how it's gotten a lot of attention here. It's only a penalty to remove your helmet in celebration of a play or in a confrontation with a game offical or another player. During the play it's allowed if they are in the process of the play. It's stupid to do, but in the context that Clay did it. It's not a penalty. This is per Mike Pereira, the former offical and current ref for FOX.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thebigo

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cheesehead Craig

quote:

ORIGINAL: marty
It was legitimate, but before that, they SHOULD have flagged Matthews for taking his helmet off on the field of play.

Actually, I'd like to address this seeing how it's gotten a lot of attention here. It's only a penalty to remove your helmet in celebration of a play or in a confrontation with a game offical or another player. During the play it's allowed if they are in the process of the play. It's stupid to do, but in the context that Clay did it. It's not a penalty. This is per Mike Pereira, the former offical and current ref for FOX.

Per Mike Pereira? I don't see any quote marks around his words.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

I think the discrepancy in the description comes from the fact that he took his helmet off TWICE. Once after a play when he needed to rearrange his hair, and once while he was running during a play. The one during a play absolutely should have been a penalty.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cheesehead Craig

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

I think the discrepancy in the description comes from the fact that he took his helmet off TWICE. Once after a play when he needed to rearrange his hair, and once while he was running during a play. The one during a play absolutely should have been a penalty.

Nope. It's not a penalty. He didn't take it off to confront an official or another player nor was it done in a celebratory manner. Those are the facts. Wishing it to be a penalty because he's a Packer doesn't help your arguement.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cheesehead Craig

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lynn G.

I think the discrepancy in the description comes from the fact that he took his helmet off TWICE. Once after a play when he needed to rearrange his hair, and once while he was running during a play. The one during a play absolutely should have been a penalty.

Nope. It's not a penalty. He didn't take it off to confront an official or another player nor was it done in a celebratory manner. Those are the facts. Wishing it to be a penalty because he's a Packer doesn't help your arguement.

I said it SHOULD have been a penalty. There is no way the league should allow someone to play without a helmet.

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ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

He looks like a dork with that hair.

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ORIGINAL: Cheesehead Craig

Maybe Clay Matthews is so tough and so old school that he feels he doesn't need one. [;)]

quote:

ORIGINAL: marty

All unnecessary roughness violations result in a 15-yard penalty.

HELMET REMOVAL

If a ball carrier's helmet comes off during a play, the ball will immediately be blown dead. "We watched some tape where players are running in the field of play without helmets," says [Atlanta Falcons President and Co-Chairman of the NFL Competition Committee Rich] McKay. "In our mind that is not a safe situation."

http://www.ihavenet.com/NFL/NFL-2010-New-Rules-for-NFL-2010-Season.html

It's interesting that under THAT mindset, they go to Periera's claim that as long it's not done to confront an official or another player, then it's o.k. I can't seem to find Periera's claim anywhere in the rules posted online, and wonder if that is just HIS interpretation as a former official that is perhaps relying on the OLD rules from when he was still an official ?

So THIS:

15 yard penalty

"According to NFL helmet rules, a player who illegally uses the top of his helmet as a weapon, removes his helmet on the field of play (except when injured) or attacks the head of the quarterback will be hit with a 15-yard penalty. " eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_4796971_nfl-helmet-rules.html#ixzz13hbwu0mp

should be amended to THIS ? "

15 yard penalty

.... removes his helmet on the field of play (except when injured, or when he feels he can't see quite right if he adjusts it, or for whatever reason, as long as he is not confronting an official or another player)

Lynn

I ALSO mistakenly thought it was 2 separate plays where Matthews removed his helmet. Looking at the video, it came off on that one play, it's just that Matthews didn't immediately put it back on. He carried the helmet around for some time, adjusted his hair, and did whatever he felt, apparently knowing he wouldn't get penalized for having a helmet off because he didn't remove it after the play was over as it was ALREADY off.

So IF Matthews had put the helmet back on, and THEN removed it again, it would have been a penalty. It is the ACT of removing it that breaks the rules, NOT having it off for some time.

So as long as you don't confront an official or another player, you can remove your helmet right before a play ends, and can keep it off (without facing penalty) until the next play begins.

I think I've got that right. That statement IS correct right Craig ? I think I now fully understand the rule on this. So an entire team, could simultaneously take their helmets off on the field just before a play is whistled dead (as long as they aren't confronting an official or an opposing player), and then keep their helmets off (WITHOUT facing a penalty) until the next play begins ?