Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones disputed a roughing-the-passer call against Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks and spoke out about the issue on Tuesday.
"That was a tough call," Jones said after the game, according to The Dallas Morning News. "That was not roughing the passer under the existing rules. That just was not roughing the passer."
The NFL has put new emphasis on roughing the passer, barring a defender from landing with his full body weight on the quarterback, ESPN noted.
On Tuesday, he spoke about the issue on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, saying application of the roughing-the-passer rule has altered the game as much as any rule.
"These rules have been on the books and not emphasized, but when emphasized make a big change," Jones said.
He said a distinction should be made between college and pro football.
"When it comes to pro football, to use a boxing term, that's when you put the 6-ounce gloves on," Jones said on the radio show. "That's when you don't want to fight with those 10-ounce gloves or you don't fight with those headgears. ... You're paid a lot of money to go out and incur those type situations that have more risks in them."
Former Cowboys quarterback and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman also expressed displeasure on the changes to roughing-the-passer calls.
"The players don't like it," Aikman said, according to CBS Sports. "The quarterbacks even don't like it."
Crawford said the penalty won't change the way he plays.
"I'm going to hit the quarterback the way I've always hit him," he said, according to The Dallas Morning News. "If they're trying to take that much away from us, it is what it is, man. I'm going to hit like that regardless."
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