New York, New York - It's a well-known fact that whether you're an athlete, coach, or fan enjoying a game from your couch at home, you don't always agree with referees' decisions. That's also true in the NFL, and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had some things to say about the legitimacy of roughing the passer calls.

Rarely has a rule dominated debates amongst football fans as much as the handling of the NFL's "roughing the passer" rule this season.

But what exactly is this rule? In summary, it can be broken down into five scenarios:

• A defensive player continues to attack the quarterback even though he has already thrown the ball.
  
• A defensive player is unnecessarily roughing the quarterback, for example, by "ramming him into the ground" or something similar.
  
• A defensive player attacks the quarterback's head or neck with a helmet, face guard, arms, etc.
  
• A Defense player applies a blow to the quarterback's arm during or immediately after the pass.
  
• A defensive player tackles the quarterback below the knees.
  

Of course, the rules referees abide by are made much more comprehensive. But still, a lot of leeway is given to refs for interpretation on roughing the passer calls. This has been particularly true in the 2022–2023 season, and it's clear that refs have been unable to find a clear line.

Since the back-to-back head injuries that Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins suffered at the end of September, the referees seem to have lost their footing when it comes to the call.

This apparently even annoys the quarterbacks themselves, such as Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

On former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee's YouTube show during his weekly Aaron Rodgers Tuesday appearance, the 39-year-old QB criticized refs' sometimes over-the-top approach when a defensive player takes the quarterback to the ground.

"I had I think one call this year [for] roughing the passer, and it was a soft [tackle]," Rodgers said. "If I get hit in the face and it's forceful, you kind of expect the penalty ... But the one I got seemed to be very soft, and it's not one I'm campaigning for. I was actually shaking my head like, 'I don't really want that call.'"

Rodgers believes there are plenty of examples of nitpicky and unnecessary calls this season for one reason alone: the NFL no longer has the best referees.

Rodgers then listed a few names of former NFL referees who he felt were superior at their referee jobs that now work for sports-related TV shows.

In explaining why good refs are leaving for TV gigs, the Green Bay Packers star quarterback offered an indirect jab at the NFL: "Because they pay more."

With an NFL MVP blatantly calling out the league for its referee issues, will something change next season?