Laughably Weak Roughing The Passer Committed Against C.J. Stroud

The NFL has truly gone out of its way to make sure quarterbacks aren't breathed on too harshly, and that was on display Sunday with C.J. Stroud.

It's not a secret the NFL is doing everything it can to protect quarterbacks. It's the most important position in sports, and the league is committed to making sure they're protected now more than ever before.

That doesn't sit well with a lot of fans. It's a violent sport, and QBs pretty much being spared from massive hits has led to a lot of displeasure.

Well, we have an all-time flag thanks to the refs working the Jets/Texans game Sunday. Quinnen Williams lightly shoved Stroud after the Houston QB released the ball, the second overall pick sold it well enough to earn an Academy Award and a yellow flag came in flying for roughing the passer.

Watch the video below, and try to convince yourself that anything other than my assessment is correct.

Quinnen Williams flagged for roughing the passer against C.J. Stroud.

Did Williams possibly deserve a penalty? Perhaps by the letter of the law. He did lightly tap Stroud after the ball was released, but it certainly wasn't egregious.

There's no chance this would have been called even five years ago. Ten years ago? No chance in hell. No way.

Now, a player can make a perfectly clean tackle on the QB and get flagged for it. Don't believe me? Watch the video below.

At some point, we have to let football players play football. Lightly shoving tapping the QB in this fashion shouldn't result in a flag. I don't even care what the rules say.

The only reason a flag was thrown was because Stroud acted like a sniper had put a round in him. Did he get lightly tapped or take a punch from Mike Tyson?

I'm not hating on it. It's just gamesmanship, and Stroud sold it well.

A comical roughing the passer flag was thrown after Quinnen Williams shoved C.J. Stroud. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Make football fun and violent again. QBs should be treated just like every other play on the field. Not put in a protective bubble. That's not what football is about. Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.