On-field player taunting and workplace conduct are points of concern that the NFL plans to address before the 2014 season.
The league’s Competition Committee is looking into ways to control behavior, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday at the NFL Annual Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
According to NFL Media, taunting penalties nearly tripled last season.
“We agreed that we have an issue on the field and we agreed that we are going get it under control as soon as we can possibly can,” Fisher said. “Our taunting numbers increased from nine and 12 to 34 last year, and we’re going to effect change immediately and that change will be effected as early as the OTAs when the players come back.
“We’ve got to change our conduct on the field. We’ve got to bring the element of respect to its highest level back to our game.”
Fisher indicated that enforcement of taunting penalties will be ramped up at the beginning of the 2014 season.
“We’re going to clean the game up on the field between the players,” Fisher said. “The in-your-face taunting. The language. It’s all in the book. It’s all under unsportsmanlike conduct. There’s no change in our rule. We’re going to enforce the current rule.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also emphasized earlier in the week the importance of respect and sportsmanship on and off the field.
Fisher echoed those thoughts, pointing out that NFL players’ conduct has an effect on college players and all levels of football. The league is even moving the taunting section in the rulebook to the front.
“We’re going to raise the standard on the field,” Fisher.