NFL bans hip-drop tackle amid mixed outburst, 15-yard penalty imposed

The notorious method of tackling players in motion has resulted in a lot of players sustaining significant injuries.

NFL bans hip-drop tackle amid mixed outburst, 15-yard penalty imposed

Mark Andrews faced a season-ending injury due to the hip-drop tackle (via IMAGO)

The NFL has ended months of speculation on the hip-drop tackle by putting it under the category of plays that are now banned. Moving forward, all defensive players who use the technique to bring down a receiver will be flagged and the offense will be awarded with a 15-yard penalty along with an automatic first-down.

The hip-drop tackle has been a point of concern for fans and players in recent memory. Let’s understand what classifies as a hip-drop tackle: when a defensive player drops his weight, pivots or swivels, and lands on the legs of the ball carrier, such a play is deemed as a hip-drop tackle.

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The league had been debating upon the subject of whether it should be banned or not for a long time. During the annual league meeting on Sunday, it was reiterated that this technique of tackling is 25 times more likely to injure a player.

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And there is solid evidence to back this up. This season Mark Andrews went down after he was tackled by Logan Wilson using this technique. He sustained a season-ending injury. Tyreek Hill fell victim to the same but was fortunate enough to get away with a minor injury. Rhamondre Stevenson of the Patriots sat the final five weeks of the season out after he suffered an ankle sprain due to this method of tackling.

The NFLPA remains against the league’s decision to ban the hip-drop tackle

The league announced its decision to ban the tackle at the annual meeting in Orlando, where all the owners were present. A proposal was passed by them to deem it illegal to grab the ball carrier with both hands or wrap him with both hands and unweighing himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.

Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews being hip-drop tackled (via IMAGO)

While the new decision helps offensive players because it reduces their risk of injury, it puts the defensive players at a disadvantage. The reason is that now, players will need to unlearn a technique that they have mastered and practiced throughout their lives to bring down offensive players. The unlearning process is a challenge by itself and the players will have to figure out another way to tackle the ball carriers without violating any existing rules in place.

Over the years, the curbs placed upon defensive players have increased, making it harder for them to do their job effectively. The NFLPA remains against the proposal and had their say with respect to the technique.

The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a 'swivel hip-drop tackle'. While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to our game with health and safety in mind, we cannot support a rule change that causes confusion for us as players, for coaches, for officials, and especially for fans. We call on the NFL, again to reconsider implementing this rule.
NFLPA’s statement

The latest move by the owners is a double-edged sword. It will not be surprising to see defensive players get called for more penalties next season because the officials will err in determining if a tackle classifies as a hip-drop tackle or not. For fans, that will be frustrating, and for defensive coordinators, nothing short of a nightmare. Ultimately, the debate is about weighing the pros and the cons.

The tackle has the potential to result in the demise of a player’s football career if done wrongfully. That by itself should be enough to warrant its ban.

An argument can be made that by this logic, there is nothing safe about the sport of football itself. It is important to consider that there are alternative ways to bring a player down, to date, defensive players have resorted to this technique because it is what has been taught to them and has been deemed as an effective mean to bring a player in motion down. But that does not mean there exist no alternatives.

It will be challenging, but ultimately, players will get used to the change and will forget that there was a technique known as the hip-drop.

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