The National Football League (NFL) took another step in seeking to make the sport safer for players. This morning, the NFL Competition Committee voted unanimously to ban hip-drop tackling and impose harsh penalties on offending teams.
NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero broke the news. This play had been in the sights of the Competition Committee, while the Players Association (NFLPA) had spoken against the ban since it affects the work of defenders.
As of now, Article 18 of the NFL rules states, “It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and (b) unweights 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.”
The rule states that the offending team will receive a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down. With these measures, the league aims to reduce the high rate of injuries caused by this type of play.
The voices for and against
NFL Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said in an interview last week that it was necessary to ban this play. “The greatest asset for any athlete is durability and availability. When you have a play that has a 20-25 times the injury rate, it doesn’t allow you to fulfill your dreams,” Vincent assured.
However, the NFLPA was categorical in saying, “The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a ‘swivel hip-drop’ tackle.” It reiterated its commitment to its members’ health and the game’s evolution but said it would not support this new rule.
“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,” the union said in a statement.
In this regard, Rich McKay, president of the Competition Committee, responded: “Do we have a problem? The answer was yes. This will be a hard one to call on the field. You have to see every element of it. We want to make it a rule so we can deal on the discipline during the week.”
Changes to the challenge rule
The Competition Committee also approved modifying the rule on challenges to referee decisions. Until last season, a team had to win the two challenges to which it is entitled to obtain a third. With the rule change, the team will only have to win one of its two regulatory challenges to win one more.
The Committee has not yet voted on the controversial kickoff rule change, and it is not yet known if they will do so during this meeting, but it is still possible that the change could come up for a vote on Tuesday.
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