FOX Sports' Mike Pereira Revealing Steelers Already In Roger Goodell's Sights With Officials New Point of Emphasis In 2023

The Pittsburgh Steelers will forever be one of the most historic franchises across the entire sports landscape. They carry one of the world’s largest fanbases and have even carved out a large space within the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The influence the Steelers have had on football is profound. So much so, they’ve pushed the boundaries of the game to such degree that the NFL has had to create rules limiting how the Steelers, and the other 31 teams, have to play the game.

These rules cover a variety of different aspects of the game that have developed it into what we know today. Hall of Fame cornerback, Mel Blount etched his name into the rule book by becoming the founder of the declared ‘Mel Blount Rule’, prohibiting cornerbacks to make contact with receivers beyond five yards from the line of scrimmage. Blount made a reputation for himself of being an imposing, physical defender as a part of the historic teams of the 1970’s, and the NFL had to cap how physical he was able to play as a result.

If we simply look back in the last two decades, we’ve seen a pair member of Steelers royalty earning their way into the NFL rule book. After breaking the jaw of Cincinnati Bengals’ Keith Rivers on a block, Hines Ward was instructed by the NFL that he was not to do that again. So much so, the league enacted the ‘Hines Ward Rule’ which makes it illegal for a player to land their helmet, shoulder, or arm above an opposing player’s neck either from behind or from the side on a block. Fans can find the block peppered among Ward’s highlight reel and will forever live in the minds of Bengals’ fans.

James Harrison built a reputation of finding the line of physicality within games and pushing it. That reputation led for Steelers fans to love him, and everyone else hate him. Harrison’s journey to the NFL was anything but easy, and is now revered by current fans as being one of the most motivational stories of the modern era. But Harrison’s reputation didn’t sit nicely with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. 

In fact, that led to Harrison landing on Goodell’s ‘naughty list’ and Harrison finding himself flushed with fine letters after almost every game. This led to Harrison expressing his thoughts by way of an interview with Men’s Journal in 2011.

“My rep is James Harrison, mean son of a b---- who loves hitting the hell out of people. But up until last year, there was no word of me being dirty — till Roger Goodell, who’s a crook and a puppet, said I was the dirtiest player in the league. If that man was on fire and I had to p--- to put him out, I wouldn't do it. I hate him and will never respect him.”

From the Steelers point of view, it always seemed as though Goodell and the NFL had it out for Pittsburgh. In a sense, it is as if a relatively routine hit in Pittsburgh carries more of a penalty and fine than those with other clubs. Further, it has become obvious, and now publicized, of specific areas of emphasis for the league’s officials to follow throughout the season. If we think back to past seasons, those points of emphasis include the immortalized roughing-the-passer rule, unnecessary roughness and taunting penalties. 

The Steelers Are Already in Goodell's Sights With His New Point Of Emphasis For 2023

After the infamous Jesse James catch, there was even a push to define what actually constitutes a “catch”. What can we expect the league’s point of emphasis to be in 2023? FOX Sports NFL Rules Expert, Mike Pereira joined Pat Kirwin and Jim Miller on SIRIUS XM’s Movin’ The Chains to highlight exactly that; and it looks like the league already has their sights on the Steelers in 2023.

“Well, I’ve read through them, and there’s not a lot of change, but I’ll cite the two and one is the illegal use of the helmet. That is one leads the list, that’s the first one they talk about. And so, they want to tighten that up. How? Is a little bit different than the traditional point of emphasis. They want to change the language that they did change, included the butt-ram and spear rule with the helmet, into the illegal use of helmet rule,” Periera explained. “But it was done to try and tighten up the ability of the league to fine the player, and that’s what they did this year.”

If we think back to the Steelers first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we were able to catch an early glimpse at this season’s point of emphasis. Kwon Alexander looked to have made a strong, clean stop on a swing pass to Buccaneers’ Chase Edmonds in the flat, only to get called for impermissible use of his helmet on the play. The call resulted in a 15-yard penalty and Alexander got slapped with a fine of $43,709. Although this point of emphasis tends to occur mostly against defensive players, Periera explained that the league is expanding the call to other positions on the field.

“The other one that is interesting Pat, which I thought was pretty big, the description of this point of clarification for illegal use of the helmet, it said more and more offensive players are using the crown of the helmet. Now that is something that has never been called. That’s a running back. It could be an offensive lineman, they have talked about it in the past, but they’re bringing in the issue of the running back here. But not asking the officials to call it, because its so difficult, but at least have the ability to assess the fine and maybe change the habits.”

This new point of emphasis seems to be a bit different than what we’ve seen in the past. To summarize, although an official may not make the call on the field for illegal use of the helmet, the player is still subject to a fine from the league as a result of the play. Further, offensive players are now eligible for the penalty and fine, especially running backs.

It is hard to understand that rule and not think of plays we’ve already seen from Steelers key contributors. Obviously, we saw what happened with Alexander. But with how Najee Harris runs and how he attacks defenders in the second level, his wallet may start to get hit throughout the 2023 season. In addition, with the new mission of the Steelers to impose their will against opposing defenses with a physical running attack, there may be some bills to pay on their way of finding out where the boundaries lie. 

While the league’s point of emphasis provides the notion to officials of if it is close, call the penalty, the league office reserves the right to supersede a call that was either missed or simply not deemed a penalty on the field. Only time will tell in determining the effects of this initiative in 2023, but it is safe to say the Steelers are already sitting in the sights of Goodell and the NFL before the regular season kicks off.

What do you think about this new point of emphasis for 2023? What do you think it should be? Let us know in the comments below!

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