NFL fans bash 'awful' taunting rules during Week 1 of the preseason

The NFL has stated that they will have a crackdown on taunting by players towards their opponents this upcoming season. The referees arrived for the first week of preseason play, ready to enforce these new rules.

The NFL recently had this top say about the enforcement of the taunting rules:

"The increased effort to crack down on taunting, this year, will target “baiting or taunting acts or words” and “abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures," according to the NFL’s unsportsmanlike conduct rules.

The National Football League apparently feels that players took advantage of the rules set in place in 2020 and that there were inappropriate actions taking place on the field that just can't happen anymore.

NFL players understand that there needs to be rules and players don't want to be insulted or abused physically or verbally but, through just one week of preseason play, it seems that the NFL referees are willing to go a bit far to call this penalty.

NFL fans took to Twitter to show their displeasure with the taunting rules

The main cause of concern that fans have towards the easily called taunting penalty is the repercussions it has on the game itself. Right now, it's pre-season play and records aren't important as of right now. But in just a few weeks, the regular season will begin and the games will matter. If an unnecessary taunting call presents itself, it could potentially cost the team a victory which could end up hurting them in the long run.

The most popular example of a failed taunting call from the preseason Week 1 schedule involves Indianapolis Colts fourth-string running back Benny LeMay. The 23-year-old who went undrafted in 2020, is playing for a potential roster spot.

So when he gets a run down the field in which he drags five defenders ten additional yards, LeMay is obviously going to be excited about it. LeMay then flexed when the play was over and a flag was thrown.

The refs felt that LeMay was taunting the Carolina Panthers defensive players and gave the Colts a penalty.

Twitter reactions to referees 'taunting' calls

NFL fans across the board, as well as analysts and others in the media, took to Twitter to express their dismay for LeMay's actions being called "taunting."

Benny LeMay, who put his body through a gauntlet for four years at Charlotte, and continues to battle and scratch and claw to stick around in the NFL to make a living, flagged for being excited about a nice play he made. https://t.co/lVg3ljnMVK

— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) August 15, 2021

Former Colts punter and now sports personality Pat McAffe also commented.

Hey… LET THE DUDE LIVE @NFL pic.twitter.com/W83k72UHyX

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 15, 2021

I don’t want to live in a world where this minor level of enthusiasm after steamrolling the entire defense is a 15-yard penalty what’s wrong with you @NFL pic.twitter.com/4kAk3NEkKy

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 15, 2021

And another one:

The #NFL is out here with the craziest taunting penalties — Benny LeMay carried half the other team on his back down the field, but somehow shouting a couple words in the other guy’s face is a flag 🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Z6n6fvmr0j

— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) August 15, 2021

The NFL is going to have to take a look at the actual call for a taunting penalty because fans aren't going to be happy when the penalty is called at an integral point in the season.