SEATTLE -- Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says he respects what the NFL is trying to accomplish by more strictly enforcing the taunting rule, but he believes the league has "opened up a bit of a can of worms" by penalizing actions that can be difficult for players to suddenly avoid amid the emotions of a game.
"You've got a lot of guys that have to deal with those explosive moments and they've got to really turn their focus away from the opponent," Carroll said Monday. "It's a good thought. It's just hard to manage it."
The taunting rule isn't new, but the NFL has made its enforcement a point of emphasis for officials in 2021.