The NFL banned the hip-drop tackle on Monday after a unanimous vote of team owners, a controversial decision that the organization claims will improve player safety.
The rule change elicited passionate responses from both former and current players.
Detractors of the ruling claim that the rule would fundamentally alter how the game is played for the worse, skewing the rules even further in favor of offensive as the league protects its most marketable players.
What is the hip-drop tackle?
During the contentious hip-drop tackle, a defender can wrap the ball carrier in both arms or grip them with both hands. The competition committee defines the maneuver as the defender “unweighting himself by swivelling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
Source: CNN
Why did the NFL ban hip-drop tackles?
Any hip-drop tackle made during play will result in a 15-yard penalty, potential fines, and a player warning. Commissioner Roger Goodell has been pressing for a rule reform to address the disputed hip-drop tackle, which has resulted in several player injuries over the years.
The 2022 postseason tackle by former San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward on Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard, as well as the 2023 injury to Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews against the Cincinnati Bengals, highlight the serious consequences of hip-drop tackles.
