On paper, it sounds strange. Why would a former defensive lineman like J.J. Watt want an offensive holding penalty to be less consequential? But as he explained it on Wednesday’s Pat McAfee Show, reducing the punishment will incentivize officials to call it more instead of swallowing their whistle on a toss-up of a call.
Speaking with McAfee, Watt believes the NFL should make offensive holding a 5-yard penalty instead of its current 10-yard infraction.
“What I think is the answer,” Watt told the show. “Because I think refs understand a 10-yard penalty is a massive penalty in the NFL.