The NFL tries to add the fan to the game as much as possible by putting microphones on players’ shoulder pads, but many coaches and QB’s don’t necessarily agree with this rule. In fact, one of the league’s most respected QB’s would rather the microphones disappear. Peyton Manning has expressed his opinion that the microphones can give an unfair advantage to teams that preparing to play him.
“I’m against it,” Manning said. “You used to watch the game film and watch the opponent’s game film, and now we’re spending time watching the TV copy. And now they’re trading them. The video guys, not only are they sending the silent copy as I call them, but they’re sending the TV copy.”
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is very vocal about his displeasure with the microphones. Arians goes as far as to claim that they cost the Steelers a game when he was their offensive coordinator.
“We lost home-field advantage because Baltimore had somebody who was sitting and listening to all the TV copies,” he said. “They tried to match those up to a play. We had an audible that was a quick screen, and [Ravens linebacker] Terrell Suggs stepped up and intercepted it. That was going to be a walk-in touchdown. And they had the code word, and they got it off the mics. It sounds great for the fans and all that, but it makes a big headache for coaches.”
This is definitely the boldest of claims, but there doesn’t seem to be any move for the NFL to take the mics away. Everyone will just have to get over it and figure out a way to move on.
[h/t NBC Sports]