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NFL Officiating Points of Emphasis Paying Off
The 2015 NFL regular season saw a decline in four of the six points of emphasis fouls the coaches, GMs and the Competition Committee established last offseason.
During the 2015 regular season, the number of calls on points of emphasis fouls such as illegal contact, defensive holding, offensive pass interference, and illegal use of hands all decreased from 2014.
Illegal contact fouls were down 44 percent; defensive holding fouls were down nearly 13 percent; offensive pass interference declined six percent; and illegal use of hands fouls were down 29 percent from the previous season.
While unnecessary roughness calls increased slightly (3.1 percent) from 254 in 2014 to 261 in 2015, those calls have dropped nearly 15 percent from 307 in 2013. Taunting/unsportsmanlike conduct fouls increased by approximately 11 percent from 94 in 2014 to 104 in 2015.
The numbers are trending in a positive direction and coaches and players are adjusting to make the game progressively better.
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