Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman Get Honest as the Detroit Lions Propose Two Rule Changes in the NFL

NFL teams are always searching for a competitive advantage. Sometimes, that comes in the form of a unique play, like the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push.” Other times, it can be exploiting rules to seal a win. The Baltimore Ravens once did this by having their entire punt team hold on the final play of a game.

Little things like this happen every year in some form or fashion. And the NFL usually responds by closing off the loophole. They outlawed the Ravens’ ploy the next off-season.

While debate about the Tush Push’s legitimacy rages on, there weren’t any strategical methods brought to the NFL Rules Committee this year. The Detroit Lions, though, did suggest two rule changes. Detroit proposed that wild card teams with better records than division winners should receive better playoff seeds, and that defensive holding and illegal contact penalties should no longer grant automatic first downs.

Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski debated the merits of each proposal during the Dudes on Dudes podcast. They liked the Lions’ suggestion centered on defensive holding and illegal contact. However, while they understand the argument for tweaking playoff seeding, they don’t support it.

Edelman said NFL teams “should be rewarded if you win your division.” Gronkowski agreed, stating that last season’s NFC situation “doesn’t happen all the time.” He also believes franchises have to “earn” a home playoff game.

While Gronkowski’s not wrong about the 2024 NFC’s uniqueness, he couldn’t be more incorrect overall. In four of the five prior campaigns, at least one wild card has faced a division winner with an inferior record in a playoff game.

• 2023:
  • No. 5 Cleveland Browns (11-6) vs. No. 4 Houston Texans (10-7)
  • No. 5 Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) vs. No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8)
• 2022:
  • No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) vs. No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
  • No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (12-5) vs. No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
• 2021:
  • None
• 2020:
  • No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5) vs. No. 4 Washington Football Team (7-9)
• 2019:
  • No. 5 Seattle Seahawks (11-5) vs. No. 4 Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)

Last year, each of the NFC’s three wild-card squads had a better record than their first-round playoff opponent. The AFC’s top wild card team (Los Angeles Chargers) also had more wins (11) than their worst division winner (Houston Texans – 10).

There are numerous instances in the decade prior to 2019 as well. In betting markets, home-field advantage is said to be worth approximately three points on the spread. So, when the worse team (by record) hosts, they – in theory – gain a six-point edge.

Did the Los Angeles Rams (10-7) “earn” a better seed than the Minnesota Vikings (14-3) in 2024? They won the NFC West, which was, at best, the conference’s third-best division. The Vikings, meanwhile, had the second-best record in the conference. It’s hard to believe they weren’t more deserving of a home playoff game than the Rams.

Is the Lions’ defensive penalty proposal logical?

Unlike the rule change discussed above, Edelman and Gronkowski were on board with this one. They didn’t talk about it at length, but that’s not necessarily surprising. Many former NFL players often lament how rules overwhelmingly favor the offense these days. And dropping the automatic first down on these infractions would be a decisive victory for defense.

Offensive holding, of course, doesn’t come with a loss of down consequence. Defensive holding on 4th-and-30 would be an admittedly foolish penalty, but granting a new set of downs for it doesn’t seem appropriate. Especially if the foul in question is ticky tack in nature, as pass interference, defensive holding and illegal contact can often be.

NFL alums and fans regularly complain about how defense has been legislated out of the game. With the prevalence of fantasy football, it’s hard to see the league would support an adjustment that seemingly counters their offensive trajectory. But doing so may give them a rare public relations win. With the NFL’s annual league meeting taking place over the next three days, we’ll learn how they feel very soon.