Danny Amendola's Hit On Chiefs Jamell Fleming Shows Need For Another Rule Change Or Clarification [VIDEO]

As far as many people are concerned, there is no confusion over the hit that Danny Amendola put on Chiefs Jamell Flemming during last week's division round game between the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. They will say it is clear he made a helmet to helmet hit that should be flagged and deserves to be fined. Others will say he was just making a block which is allowed under the rules of the game.

In a way, they are both right, but in the interest of player safety he was flagged and fined--which he deserved. However, in the interest of making the rules more clear about what is right and wrong the league needs to take another look at these rules and consider making a change.

Amendola says it was something he was coached to do, and Bill Belichick has backed him up with what he has said publicly.

“We’re coached to do that,” Amendola said. “It’s a big play if I block that guy and the ball bounces in the end zone. We get the ball on the 20-yard line, so it’s a big play in the game, big play for field position.”

However, what they both fail to see or consider is that Amendola did lower his head and make helmet to helmet contact on a defenseless player--a huge no-no.

How this play went down deserves some consideration. The punt returner decides not to go for a catch with hopes that it will bounce into the end zone for a touchback. The kicking team's fastest guys try to down the ball in order to put the opposing team in bad field position.

This will often happen as the ball bounces towards the goal line, but on rare occasion a member of the kicking team is actually able to get in position to field the kick. If he does, the receiving team is screwed so Belichick appears to have coached his guys to hit whoever is trying to catch the ball.

“Saw him trying to block the guy trying to down the ball,” Belichick said in a conference call Sunday morning. “It’s hard to tell from the coaching film where the hit occurred. It was a legal play. We’re allowed to block him. [Amendola] didn’t give a fair catch signal so he’s allowed to block.”

Even if Amendola had not lowered his head and made helmet to helmet contact this should be a penalty. Fleming essentially became the (defenseless) receiver in this case and deserves the same protection Amendola would have received.

Amedola absolutely deserved to be flagged and fined, but the NFL also needs to take a look at this play. We don't expect anyone from the punt team to actually catch a punt, but it has happened. The rules need to make sure these guys are protected too.

As the rule now reads you could say that it already does, but maybe the NFL needs to provide some scenarios or examples so there isn't any confusion on who could be a defenseless receiver.

Many people will probably scoff at the idea and say that there are already too many rules protecting guys from getting hit in a violent game. If the rules are going in that direction though--which they are--they might as well include everyone that should be included.

Loading...