Daily Madden: It's Time To Change NFL Timeout Rules
There was timeout confusion at a key moment in the New York Jets loss to the Packers Sunday.
"Any player on the field can call a timeout, and that's the way it was forever," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew. "And then they added that the head coach could call a timeout."
In this case, it was actually Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg who was trying to call a timeout just as the ball was snapped. The Jets completed a TD pass that was called back with five minutes left on the clock, and the Jets lost 31-24. Defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson later said he told an official the Jets wanted a timeout after seeing Mornhinweg signaling for one, and the whistle blew.
"For years and years and years and years, you couldn't call a timeout from the sideline, and we got along fine," Madden said. "Players called a timeout. And it would be easier now because you have that coach-to-player microphone in the player's helmet."
Madden said it's time to end the confusion.
"They get down in the red zone, and the coach is supposed to stay on the sideline up around midfield. And the officials all have their backs to the coach. So (the coach) has to go running down there and calling time out, calling time out, running on the field and getting the officials' attention. I think it's a bad look. In addition to a bad look, I think it's a stupid look." (6:45)
(Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 and Monday and Friday mornings at 9:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.)