NaTaS+ 958 Posted April 17, 2012 via PFT Add Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork to the legions of NFL players who aren’t in favor of all the rules designed to improve player safety. Asked on Monday what he’d change about the NFL if he could, Wilfork said NFL rules don’t do enough to protect defensive linemen like him from guys taking out their knees, while simultaneously doing too much to protect quarterbacks from anyone laying a finger on them. “One thing I’d get rid of is the penalties, certain penalties,” Wilfork said, via the Boston Herald. “I can do without them. You have a guy that’s making $30 million a year, but you can’t touch him. C’mon, let’s be for real now. Me as a defensive lineman, it’s OK for somebody to hold me up, and another guy to come and chop my legs, and I can’t protect myself. I can do without that. That’s probably the main thing. Being able to hit a quarterback good. We need that. We need that back right there. But you hurt the franchise of your team if you’re allowed to tee off on the quarterback. Cuz you know, quarterbacks are wimpy.” In 2008, Wilfork was called into a meeting with the league office after multiple personal fouls, and Wilfork called that meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “very productive.” But that doesn’t mean he’s completely on board with the way Goodell is trying to change the culture of the game. Bravo, Vince! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FartWaffles 1,857 Posted April 17, 2012 I understand and agree with where Wilfork is coming from, but I just find it funny that the quarterback of the team he plays on is the one who lobbies to refs to throw flags more than anyone in the league. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NaTaS+ 958 Posted April 17, 2012 Yep. I suspect he was indirectly talking about Brady. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Omerta+ 1,206 Posted April 23, 2012 Haha that is rich coming from someone on the patriots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteelersNation36 128 Posted April 23, 2012 Haha that is rich coming from someone on the patriots. So if a guy plays defense on the same team as Brady he's not allowed to voice his opinion? It'd be a lot different if it was actually Brady saying it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Omerta+ 1,206 Posted April 24, 2012 So if a guy plays defense on the same team as Brady he's not allowed to voice his opinion? It'd be a lot different if it was actually Brady saying it. It isnt his fault but it is his problem. I bet you he hasnt shed a tear when he gets to take an extra break because brady lobbied for a call and got it. Now on the other hand I bet he gets mad as hell when it happens to them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badgers 380 Posted April 24, 2012 It isnt his fault but it is his problem. I bet you he hasnt shed a tear when he gets to take an extra break because brady lobbied for a call and got it. Now on the other hand I bet he gets mad as hell when it happens to them. Well yeah you're always gonna be happy when good things happen to your team. What Wilfork is saying is he'd prefer the rules a different way. I'm sure he'd love to be able to lay a beating on an opposing QB without the fear of getting penalized/fined instead of getting to cheer when Brady successfully draws an illegal hit penalty. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Omerta+ 1,206 Posted April 24, 2012 Well yeah you're always gonna be happy when good things happen to your team. What Wilfork is saying is he'd prefer the rules a different way. I'm sure he'd love to be able to lay a beating on an opposing QB without the fear of getting penalized/fined instead of getting to cheer when Brady successfully draws an illegal hit penalty. Now that much is probably true, he would enjoy that. And I as most football fans would prefer the same thing but thanks to Emporer Goodell and the Brady's, Manning's and so on it just wont happen again. I would love to see what Brady thought when he read this though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
funnygunny 521 Posted April 24, 2012 Yep, Brady read through this and his immediate thought was "That sounds like me, why is Vince Wilfork calling me out like that? Fuck I care so much." Brady is the only QB in the entire NFL who calls for flags. He called for SO MANY last season. Rofl. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AL_Royalty 489 Posted April 24, 2012 (edited) Seriously guys. The HATE TRAIN stops in this thread, apparently. WHOO WHOO!... Look, Brady doesn't "lobby for calls" as much as everyone seems to think he does. I can't ever recall hearing him say after a game that the defense was hitting him with cheap shots, or that there was an illegal hit that wasn't called-i.e. Michael Vick, Joe Flacco, Donovan McNabb, Jay Cutler. I don't really see him all that often hawking down a ref because he got roughed up like some other QBs that seem to do it seemingly on every play—i.e. Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo, JAY CUTLER, etc... Just because "the league" favors Brady, as well as MANY other QBs, by changing the game to keep them on the field. Wilfork has every right to say whatever he wants, and in this case I think he's right on the money. I'm sure if Belichik ever said anything publicly, he'd echo these sentiments, and Brady has a history of standing by his teammates, so I'm guessing that he'd echo these sentiments as well. When Pollard ended his season in 2008, he came right out after the game and said it was a clean, legal play. It was just unfortunate. I know Brady has been made public enemy #1 by Goodell and his own personal success, but please: QUIT HATIN' Edited April 24, 2012 by B-isforBowe 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayrus 51 Posted April 24, 2012 I don't think the problem is the rules themselves so much as the enforcement. Some QBs, you can sneeze on them and get flagged. Others get WWE powerslammed and don't get a flag thrown. I'm not asking for much, but some consistancy would be nice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
