ENACTING A RULE AND NOT ENFORCING IT.

ENACTING A RULE AND NOT ENFORCING IT. The NFL’s handling of the helmet-to-helmet controversy resembles other approaches to controversial issues. The rulemaker creates a rule and then doesn’t enforce it, so that the rulemaker has an answer if either side of the controversy complains. Here, it looks as if in the short run, there is going to be a lot of inconsistency in enforcement. It also looks as if the emphasis on enforcement after the game is over is going to continue so that the the team whose player suffered the illegal hit will continue to be disadvantaged.