NFL Should Take Examples From NASCAR’s Penalty System

The NFL announced Sanctions on the New England Patriots and Tom Brady on Monday for “more likely than not” deflating footballs just prior to the AFC championship game against the Indianapolis Colts on January 18.

The Patriots blew out the Indianapolis Colts, beating them 45-7 to reach the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. After a very clean game with no deflated football controversy, the Patriots barely beat the Seattle Seahawks to score their fourth franchise Super Bowl victory.

For the violations, NFL suspended Tom Brady without pay for the first four games of the 2015 season. In addition, the NFL also fined the Patriots $1 million dollars and will face a loss of two draft picks. The league also indefinitely suspended the two equipment personnel believed to be behind the ordeal.

Whether you agree with the penalties or not, it is safe to say that the NFL needs to find a new way of issuing its penalties. With the inconsistent sanctions, like this where Brady gets a stiffer penalty than Ray Rice after getting suspended two games after video surfaced of him hitting his former fiancé (now his wife), the NFL needs to find a new efficient way of issuing its penalties.  

One system the NFL should look at is the way NASCAR issues its penalties. NASCAR changed the way they handled their penalties a couple years back after some controversy surrounding a deal with “secret fines” and probation.

The new deterrence system has changed the way penalties are issued for the better and continues to be fairly successful. The rule book maps out eight sections across numerous categories. The least severe penalty is simply “a warning” while the most severe falls under a “P6” penalty. There is also a section for penalties in a “case-by-case” situation, which has been used a couple of times since the inception of the new procedures.

The NASCAR rule book maps out different penalty options under the deterrence section. These include violation examples, penalty options for the sanctioning body to issue and reoccurrence multipliers if the infraction is committed again.

An example of this, let’s say a NASCAR member/team commits a P5 penalty. The team will face a loss of 50 championship driver and owner points, even if the infraction is found in a non-points race. They would also face a fine between the amounts of $75,000 to $125,000 and suspended for the next six championship races, including any non-points races during that time. The members who committed the violation would also be placed on probation in that area for six months or until Dec. 31. They can also be fined additional points if the infraction is found following a race.

In a way, NASCAR went through its own “deflategate” at the start of the 2015 season. The sanctioning body discovered the No. 31 Sprint Cup Series team “needling” their tires prior to the race at the Auto Club Speedway. Tire needling is a way for teams to get better performance out of the race tire and a way for air to escape during the event. It also allows the tire compounds to grip the track better and make the car go faster. It is not uncommon for race teams to lower air pressures to severe amounts for every last bit of an advantage.

The team, driven by Ryan Newman and owned by Richard Childress, got hit with a P5 penalty. Therefore, the team was hit with a $125,000 fine and docked 75 driver and owner points for the incident. Crew chief Luke Lambert was also hit with a six-race suspension, including the All-Star race later on this week. Tire specialist James Bender and Philip Surgen will also face a six-race suspension and will be placed on probation until Dec. 31.

The team later decided to appeal the penalties handed down by NASCAR. The appeals board knocked some of the penalty down to a 50-point loss and a fine of $75,000. Crew Chief Luke Lambert and the tire two specialist will still have a six-race suspension.

If the NFL is looking for a way to make the penalty area more efficient, this is one way to do it. With the NASCAR rule book outlining the penalty options and infractions, it would erase the inconsistent penalties and controversies that might arise during that time. Sure, you’re going to have some cases different than others, but having a fair penalty system is the key of keeping the integrity in the sport, especially if the sport is one of the most well-known around the world. 

Brett Winningham
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