Many have voiced their annoyance with the strictness of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the NFL. Bill Belichick is just the opposite.
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Bill Belichick and the Patriots did what they do best in their Sunday 25-6 win against the Jets. And on Monday he was asked about the game amongst other things.
One of the things asked was Belichick’s opinions on taunting.
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In the Houston Texans-Cleveland Browns game, Texans tight end Jordan Akins was flagged for spinning the ball after he caught a first down. Los Angeles Chargers tight end Jared Cook was called for the same infraction after he hauled in a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys, but the play was nullified from a separate holding call. In the Seattle Seahawks-Tennessee Titans game, Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed flexed in the fourth quarter toward Titans receiver A.J. Brown, resulting in a penalty that came in a high-leverage situation.
And Bill Belichick is all for it.
Bill Belichick doesn’t see taunting as a part of the game.
In speaking with reporters on Monday morning, the Patriots head coach voiced his support for the league’s stance on taunting. The penalties which are called as a result.
“In general, I don’t really think there’s a place for taunting in the game,” Belichick said during an interview on The Greg Hill Show. “I think that’s poor sportsmanship and it leads to other things. It leads to retaliation, and then where do you draw the line? I think the whole idea of the rule is to kind of nip it in the bud and not let it get started.
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