--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to let the referee's sole thing…" description: "\"We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/john-madden-4704_after_we-need-to-let-the-referee-s-sole-thing_962857.jpg" --- # We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the… ![“We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that says 'knockdowns.' Knockdowns means that you knock him down after he throws the ball. The assumption is, if it's legal, we'll make excuses for them.” quote by John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/john-madden-4704_after_we-need-to-let-the-referee-s-sole-thing_962857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/john-madden-4704_after_we-need-to-let-the-referee-s-sole-thing_962857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/john-madden-4704_after_we-need-to-let-the-referee-s-sole-thing_962857.jpg) > “We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that says 'knockdowns.' Knockdowns means that you knock him down after he throws the ball. The assumption is, if it's legal, we'll make excuses for them.” [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes protecting the quarterback and penalizing late hits, using stats like knockdowns to justify aggression **In simple terms:** Protect QB, penalize late hits Key Takeaway Prioritize quarterback safety Themes football rules player safety Mood critical analytical Type sports commentary advice When to use this quote - coaching decisions - game analysis - rule enforcement Key Concepts penalties game strategy protective tactics Questions to Reflect On - How should rules balance aggression and safety? - Are stats like knockdowns truly reflective of fair play? A Different Perspective Stat emphasis may overlook player health risks ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/him/) [Hits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hits/) [Knock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knock/) [Knock Throws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knock-throws-1793440/) [Knockdowns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knockdowns-1793443/) [Knockdowns Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knockdowns-means-1793442/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Quarterback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-quarterback-390944/) [Quarterback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quarterback/) [Referee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referee/) [Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says/) [Says Knockdowns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-knockdowns-1793438/) [Sole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sole/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Throws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throws/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [In college I was able to always try to truck some guys and get knockdowns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-evans/in-college-i-was-able-to-always-try-to-truck-some-guys-and-get/) [Mike Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-evans/) > [You've got to protect your quarterback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mack-brown/you-ve-got-to-protect-your-quarterback/) [Mack Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mack-brown/) > [The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback - ME!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/the-most-important-thing-to-remember-is-to-protect-your-quarterback-me/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > [“In the book “The Blind Side” they are talking about the most important job in the NFL (Lewis). 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I believe that God has given me a right arm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-wilson/god-s-given-me-so-much-talent-and-my-height-doesn-t-define-my-skill/) [Russell Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-wilson/) > [Generally in the Little League you're up against a good pitcher who throws like hell. What does the coach say? Get a walk. Isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/generally-in-the-little-league-you-re-up-against-a-good-pitcher-who/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [Retief never throws the toys out of the pram by way of letting you know that the pressure's getting to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-casey/retief-never-throws-the-toys-out-of-the-pram-by-way-of-letting-you/) [Paul Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-casey/) > [One day, the infielders were having a pretty bad time and were making some bad throws to me at first base. After digging a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mize/one-day-the-infielders-were-having-a-pretty-bad-time-and-were-making/) [Johnny Mize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mize/) > [I definitely want to play for a school that throws the ball in the post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahlil-okafor/i-definitely-want-to-play-for-a-school-that-throws-the-ball-in-the/) [Jahlil Okafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahlil-okafor/) > [I'm the shade queen and no one throws shade better than me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-moore/i-m-the-shade-queen-and-no-one-throws-shade-better-than-me/) [Kenya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-moore/) > [And as you point out, for American families who struggle every day to figure out how do they pay, we talk about gasoline prices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-schwartz/and-as-you-point-out-for-american-families-who-struggle-every-day-to/) [Allyson Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-schwartz/) > [I like a scarf with a shirt; it throws it off a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/i-like-a-scarf-with-a-shirt-it-throws-it-off-a-bit/) [Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/) ## More by John Madden > [The Dallas Cowboys have 2 types of plays in their playbook. Passing plays, and running plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/the-dallas-cowboys-have-2-types-of-plays-in-their-playbook-passing/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [They're on the right road, but there's a long way to go on concussions, not only in the NFL, but college football, high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/they-re-on-the-right-road-but-there-s-a-long-way-to-go-on-concussions/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [If you think about it, I've never held a job in my life. I went from being an NFL player to a coach to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/if-you-think-about-it-i-ve-never-held-a-job-in-my-life-i-went-from/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [You got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/you-got-one-guy-going-boom-one-guy-going-whack-and-one-guy-not/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [Here's a guy who can use his arms and legs at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/here-s-a-guy-who-can-use-his-arms-and-legs-at-the-same-time/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [Both of my sons used to coach high school football. When they started, I'd say things I shouldn't have. So I learned my lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/both-of-my-sons-used-to-coach-high-school-football-when-they-started/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [If you see a defense team with dirt and mud on their backs they've had a bad day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/if-you-see-a-defense-team-with-dirt-and-mud-on-their-backs-they-ve/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [It's been the video game ever since I got out of coaching. Even when I was an announcer, fewer and fewer people remembered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/it-s-been-the-video-game-ever-since-i-got-out-of-coaching-even-when-i/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/the-only-yardstick-for-success-our-society-has-is-being-a-champion-no/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [As I look back now on my coaching career, I think of my family, I think of the days that we spent together. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/as-i-look-back-now-on-my-coaching-career-i-think-of-my-family-i-think/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [Theyre either going to run the ball here or their going to pass it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/theyre-either-going-to-run-the-ball-here-or-their-going-to-pass-it/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [I get a certain feeling when I go to Lambeau field in Green Bay. Soldier field in Chicago is special to me. Those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/i-get-a-certain-feeling-when-i-go-to-lambeau-field-in-green-bay/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [The road to Easy Street goes through the sewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/the-road-to-easy-street-goes-through-the-sewer/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [I'd like to work with kids in special education - younger kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/i-d-like-to-work-with-kids-in-special-education-younger-kids/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [Any defensive coordinator is worried about two things: a running quarterback and a deep ball. You know, don't get beat deep and don't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/any-defensive-coordinator-is-worried-about-two-things-a-running/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) [Explore all 107 John Madden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) ## More After quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. 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