If you thought the NFL’s newest rules for roughing-the-passer and whatever the heck a catch is were hard to interpret, boy, do I have awful news!
During Divisional Weekend, two critical injuries to the Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes have put the seemingly staple “hip-drop” tackle in the spotlight. Pollard would suffer an ankle sprain and a broken leg after being brought down in this manner. A day earlier, a scrambling Mahomes would sustain a painful ankle injury of his own as a host of defenders tackled him in essentially the same way. (Mind you, this is an ankle ailment that could still bother the Kansas City superstar in Super Bowl 57.)
As a result, the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills is apparently professing that there will be a coming earnest look at the hip-drop tackle’s place in pro football:
The #NFL is planning to have an "active conversation" this offseason about possibly banning the “hip drop” tackles, according to NFL's CMO Allen Sills. pic.twitter.com/9g66NULgby
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 4, 2023
Given that defenders sometimes have no recourse but to use their weight to bring down ball carriers — especially when chasing them from behind — NFL players past and present were understandably livid by this potential change. After all, it’s already pretty challenging to play defense in a game where offensive skill players seemingly have the board tilted in their favor. It’s hard enough having to consider whether you’re putting your entire body weight on a quarterback while bringing them to the ground; now you have to think twice about what you’re doing with your hips when a guy is breaking free into the open field? It’s just an absurd concept to think about.
If the NFL were really concerned with innovative changes for player safety, one idea would be banning field turf as a significant first step. You know, the turf that players like Pollard and Mahomes got their legs caught in while being tackled. Alas, I don’t think anyone reasonable would ever accuse the NFL of making intelligent, thoughtful additions and subtractions to pro football.
NFL players were positively livid after hearing that the league might ban "hip-drop" tackles
Bruh🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ you have got to be kidding me. https://t.co/ji4hy3Tfyo
— ROBERT MATHIS QBH8r (@RobertMathis98) February 5, 2023
2 hand touch then https://t.co/mcAbCIHF5i
— 🦈 (@Patrickqueen_) February 5, 2023
The flag football game tomorrow is just a precursor to what the NFL is going to look like in a few years. 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/U7dtiwIwMw
— Lᴀᴡʀᴇɴᴄᴇ Tʏɴᴇs (@lt4kicks) February 5, 2023
What does this even mean?? Routine tackle getting banned https://t.co/dUwtF0XM7t
— Mykal Walker (@MykalWalker3) February 5, 2023
No shot… https://t.co/g40VzUVLkU
— Logan Wilson (@ljw21) February 4, 2023
Getting closer to flag football by the season https://t.co/7AkjqQyO5S
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) February 4, 2023
This would be an absolute travesty.
And if me as a kicker is saying this, I can’t imagine how ridiculous everyone else thinks this would be. https://t.co/RiKVzsP8uh
— Shayne Graham (@Shaynegraham17) February 4, 2023
Lol how you supposed to get dudes on the ground?!? 🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/BACyrZSCej
— All-Pro Reavo (@JR1ERA) February 4, 2023
Absolutely ridiculous https://t.co/7nV1EnLEuc
— Trent Taylor (@Trent5Taylor) February 4, 2023
Ain’t no way 😭 https://t.co/ceioPTg2jV
— Michael Carter II (@mcarter2nd) February 4, 2023
NFL Defensive Players Right Now https://t.co/HYk4IYMCGm pic.twitter.com/FzobCCdDuL
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 4, 2023
It’s getting outta hand now 😂😂😂 https://t.co/GrtAZeTl1e
— Jevón Holland (@HollywoodVon) February 4, 2023
There will be no legal way to tackle from behind in the next 5 years. Already can’t tackle up high, horse collar. Want to eliminate the mid section now, “hip drop”. Soon they’ll take away the legs, “gator roll”. NFL script writers working hard to eliminate tackling from storyline https://t.co/pmJ909fTZH
— George Iloka (@George_iloka) February 4, 2023
😂😂 they about to have us getting dragged down the field like we trying to tackle Spike from the Little Giants https://t.co/npSQcMUihV
— Adrian Amos (@_SmashAmos31) February 4, 2023
2 hand touch coming soon https://t.co/b6vnHt7MjD
— Josh Scobee (@JoshScobee10) February 4, 2023
A desperation wrap up trying to prevent a ball carrier from gaining extra yards. There isnt one player saying “hey I’m about to drop my weight on his ankle when I tackle him”. Defense is Hard enough with the rules about roughing the QB and interference. This would be overkill https://t.co/p5mPwcZ0SW
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) February 4, 2023
This would be really bad for the game https://t.co/FGlPumtx65
— Lane Taylor (@lanetaylor65) February 4, 2023
