Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews says the NFL is becoming “soft” after his latest roughing the passer penalty in the Packers’ 31-17 loss to the Washington Redskins.

The NFL is all about protecting the quarterback position at all costs. Just this year, the league enforced an emphasis on defensive players putting their body weight on quarterbacks when they’re bringing them to the ground.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has been the main victim of some controversial roughing the passer calls. The latest one came late in the third quarter in the 31-17 loss to the Washington Redskins. It seemed as if Matthews made the proper tackle on Alex Smith as he wrapped around his torso and avoided helmet-to-helmet contact. Yet, Matthews was still flagged.

Furious with the officiating, Matthews sounded off on the league’s direction.

“Unfortunately this league’s going in a direction I think a lot of people don’t like. I think they’re getting soft,” Matthews told reporters post-game. “The only thing hard about this league is the fines they levy down on guys like me who play the game hard.”

Matthews’ hit on Smith wasn’t as costly as his first two roughing the passer calls this season.

On opening day, the Packers’ 24-23 lead late in the fourth quarter was in jeopardy when Matthews drew a flag on a fourth down stop. It gave the Bears a fresh set of downs and another shot at winning the game. Fortunately for Matthews, his teammate Nick Perry came up with a game-winning fumble later that series that kept the score 24-23 at the end of the game.

However, in week two against the Minnesota Vikings, Matthews’ second roughing the passer penalty ended up costing the Packers the win. With Green Bay up by eight points with under two minutes left in the game, the Packers forced Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw an interception. That should have been game. Green Bay should have been 2-0. Instead, Matthews was flagged.

The Vikings cashed in on Matthews’ mistake by scoring the game-tying touchdown a few plays later. The game resulted in a tie at 29.

Matthews only committed four roughing the passer calls his entire career before this season. But it’s not just Matthews that has been affected by the rule changes. There was an NFL-record 21 roughing the passer calls in the first three weeks this season.