Two years ago, former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was concerned about hits on his mobile quarterback. Now, Harbaugh’s former nemesis has the same concern.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll commented on the topic of contact with running quarterbacks two days after Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs applied a clean, legal (and low) hit to Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford after a handoff.
"[W]e’ll be very much a part of that discussion if things continue like it’s going, because it’s not right,” Carroll said in comments distributed by the team. “We’ve been involved in that discussion with the league since Russell [Wilson] has been here, we’ve had the running quarterback. We’re really tuned into that so I’m anxious to see what comes up, because it certainly is not the way to want it to go. I would think, as we always here in the preseason to over-officiate, I think this is an area in particular that I’m sure we’ll hear something this week.”
It’s not clear what Carroll and the Seahawks are expecting to hear this week, given that NFL V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino already has reiterated the notion that the quarterback is fair game until he’s clearly out of the play.
And that won’t be changing. Quarterbacks only get special protections as passers, not as runners. For teams with running quarterbacks, the rules are no different than if they had a running back lined up under center.