The NFL will consider a targeting rule similar to college football, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said today via Judy Battista of NFL Media.
Vincent also said the NFL will discuss a punishment schedule for “non-football acts” such as Rob Gronkowski’s late hit on Bills defensive back Tre’Davious White.
The NFL’s obvious goal is to make the game safer, with the Competition Committee discussing those rules changes and others in the offseason.
The NCAA implemented a targeting rule 10 seasons ago, though it didn’t make player ejections part of the penalty until 2013. The NFL Competition Committee approved automatic ejections for egregious hits to the head this offseason, but even illegal hits to the head by Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan, Gronkowski, Bengals safety George Iloka and Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso didn’t result in an ejection.
The NCAA’s targeting rule includes a 15-yard penalty and an ejection, though it includes an automatic review that allows the replay official to overturn the call.