Roughing the passer has been the talk of the NFL this season, with the officials calling the penalty more strictly than they have before. But the letter of the rule hasn’t changed, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick says that means his team hasn’t changed the way it rushes opposing quarterbacks.
Asked on a conference call about “new rules” on roughing the passer, Belichick corrected the reporter.
“They’re not new rules,” he said. “I mean, you’re not allowed to lead with your head, you’re not allowed to body slam the quarterback, you’re not allowed to hit him below the knees, you’re not allowed to hit him above the shoulders.