NFL roughing the passer penalty, explained: What to know including definition, rule changes, examples and more

There are a variety of infractions that will get a player flagged for roughing a passer. Here’s a look at each one. 

Late hits

The most common way to get called for roughing the passer is to hit the quarterback late. According to the rulebook, a late hit occurs when “a pass rusher clearly should have known the ball had already left the passer’s hand before contact was made.”

Low hits on QBs

Another frequent roughing the passer penalty is on forceful hits “in the knee area or below” when a quarterback has two feet on the ground. It is not a penalty if the player is blocked into the quarterback’s knees, as the rule says that the defender has to initiate the contact in order to draw a flag. Additionally, a player can tackle a quarterback by the lower body as long as there is no forcible contact.

Helmet-to-helmet contact

In an effort to prevent head injuries, the NFL prohibits hits to the head, especially with helmet-to-helmet contact. Any instance in which a defender hits the quarterback in the head will be called for roughting the passer.

Driving QB into the ground

One of the more controversial roughing the passer penalties involves when the defender “drives” the quarterback into the ground. Here is how the rulebook describes the penalty:

“A rushing defender is prohibited from committing such intimidating and punishing acts as ‘stuffing’ a passer into the ground or unnecessarily wrestling or driving him down after the passer has thrown the ball”

Instead, the NFL asks that each defender “must strive to fall to the side of the quarterback’s body, or to brace his fall with his arms to avoid landing on the quarterback with all or most of his body weight”

Examples of roughing the passer

Here is a look at some plays that illustrate the four different ways to get called for roughing the passer.

Late hit:

Low hit:

Here’s a look at the potential consequences for roughing the penalty infractions. 

Yardage and automatic first down

In every instance, a roughing the passer penalty will cost the defense 15 yards of field position and give the offense an automatic first down.

Fines

Throughout the years, the NFL has changed the language of roughing the passer penalties to tighten up the game and further protect the quarterbacks. 

In 2018, the league decided to further enforce the body weight rule, which was first introduced in 1995, but that led to some difficulty of defenders to adjust. However, despite calls for the league to loosen up the rule, the league stayed firm on its decision.

Every year there are several controversial roughing the passer calls that impact the outcomes of games. Here are a few of the most famous roughing the passer calls in recent NFL history.

2018: Clay Matthews

When the NFL cracked down on body-weight roughing the passer calls in 2018, Clay Matthews was called for three of those penalties in the first three games. That led to much discussion about whether the league was in the right.

2022: Grady Jarrett on Tom Brady

The NFL first implemented roughing the passer in 1940, as the league was adjusting the game to make it more passer friendly.

How many yards is the defense penalized for roughing the passer?

On a roughing the passer penalty, the defense will lose 15 yards of field position along with giving the offense an automatic first down. It is tied for the second-harshest penalty by field position, only trailing pass interference which could cost more yards depending on where it occurs.

What is the difference between roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness?

Unnecessary roughness is a general penalty for hits on any defenseless player on the field, while roughing the passer penalties are specifically on the quarterbacks or players throwing the ball.

Can roughing the passer be reviewed or challenged?

Roughing the passer penalties can’t be challenged, but they can be reviewed in a very specific way. Before the 2024 season, the NFL’s competition committee agreed to allow the new replay assistant to to correct certain roughing the passer calls that the officials got incorrect.

However, it must be an objective instance, like checking to see if there was definitive helmet-to-helmet contact.

This is big: NFL Competition Committee Chairman Rich McKay told me the replay assistant will now be permitted to correct certain types of incorrect calls for roughing the passer and intentional grounding.

Must be purely objective (QB wasn’t hit in head, was out of pocket, etc.)