NFL officiating is questionable at best these days as some of the rules put in place by the league don't make a lot of sense. There are questionable rules outside of the game as well, including one new rule implemented by the NFL that seems targeted at the LA Chargers.
The NFL updated its drug policy this week to include a new $15,000 fine for players who record and post the drug test collection process on social media. In layman's terms, the NFL wants its players to stop sharing when they are being drug tested by the league.
For those who are unaware, Chargers rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still was slapped with a surprise drug test after Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons. Still recorded two interceptions in the game and posted the surprise drug test to social media after the fact. Under the new rules, Still would be fined $15,000 (which is 32% of his game check!) for said post.
Newest NFL rule feels pointed at Tarheeb Still and the Chargers
To be clear, Tarheeb Still was not the first player who has shared a drug test after a game. It has become a somewhat common trend in the league for players to share the fact they got surprise drug tests after having big games for their respective teams.
Still's post may have just been the straw that finally broke the camel's back. The NFL obviously does not want its fans to know when players are getting drug tested, especially when these drug tests so happen to occur after big games.
This shouldn't be that big of a deal throughout the league as this is an avoidable fine for players to have. However, it is still a bit silly that someone like Still could have to forfeit a third of his game check (before even accounting for taxes) for something as simple as a social media post.
This fine amount is also more than the fine amount for striking/kicking/kneeing, a face mask, a late hit, a low block, and a chop block. Apparently, the league thinks the punishment should be larger for sharing a drug test than the fines that directly tie into player safety.
But hey, at least the NFL will have fewer critics who point out the correlation between breakout games and random drug tests! And if everyone follows the rule, Still and the Chargers will be the last team ever to be the subject of that conversation.