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Los Angeles Rams to pitch QB roughing rule change

The Los Angeles Rams plan to resubmit a rule change to the NFL’s competition committee that would make all personal fouls reviewable, including roughing the passer, sources told ESPN.

The roughing the passer rule has come under intense scrutiny after two controversial plays in Week 5 drew unnecessary roughness penalties — one on Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett and one on Kansas City’s Chris Jones.

Last year, the Rams submitted to the NFL a potential rule change that would have made roughing the passer reviewable, but the competition committee voted against it 9-0 and the rule never made it to the floor for further discussion or vote.

But amid the leaguewide outcry over the penalties against Jarrett and Jones, the Rams are planning to resubmit the same rule, according to sources.

The competition committee — comprised of six team owners/executives and four head coaches — plans to discuss roughing the passer penalties after the season, and the topic will also reportedly be discussed Tuesday when NFL owners meet in New York.

Roughing the passer penalties are down 45% from this point last year. Through Week 5 in 2021, 51 were called, but only 28 have been called this season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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