Three years ago, NFL officials were politely reminded to do their job when it comes to enforcing the anti-taunting rule. You're about to receive another polite reminder on this topic.

Officials will be given a “clarification point” after Week 4 regarding the failure to throw flags for taunts, as the league plans to call taunts, according to a source familiar with the situation.

This has happened several times this season. Players looking other players in the face after a play and doing things that in the recent past would have resulted in a 15 yard shift in field position.

That doesn't mean the rule makes sense. Many people don't like it. But inconsistent (or non-existent) enforcement creates confusion.

Regardless, the officials are not throwing flags the way the NFL wants them to. Case in point: CJ Gardner-Johnson, the Eagles safety, was fined for three taunting violations in two games, despite not being cited for ANY of them. The implication is that the officials screwed up three times.

Ahead of the 2021 season, the league issued a “focus point” on taunting. This led to a flagfest of post-game demonstrations, resulting in players pointing out other players and potentially setting the stage for the guy on the wrong end of the gesture, who later tried to settle the score.

The purpose is security. At a time when the NFL continues to try to eliminate unnecessary contact from the game, it also wants to eliminate situations that would give a player extra incentive to add something extra to a clean, legal hit.

Has 2021 gone crazy? Yes, as evidenced by Bears pass rusher Cassius Marsh, who is due to “attitude towards” the Pittsburgh sideline after a sack. It is important to find a balance. Currently, officials are failing to throw as many flags as the NFL would like to see.

Ideally, the league doesn't want to see any taunts. Fines are one thing; that only harms the player. Flags hurt the team – and give the coach another reason to make sure they make it.