NFL Players Slam The League For Banning Controversial Tackle

The NFL has made a significant rule change that will go into effect in the 2024 season, and it is causing controversy among sports fans.

After it was announced, many fans and players took to social media to express their frustrations with the league and the recent decision to ban this tackle.

The committee voted unanimously to ban hip-drop tackles and will penalize anyone who decides to use the technique during the game.

If a player uses the tackle, the team will receive a 15-yard penalty. Players may also receive a fine and a warning from the league.

The tackle has caused controversy in the sport as it has caused many injuries. For those who are unaware, the defensive play that is now banned is where a defender wraps the player with the football with their hands or arms, and then drops their hips. This causes the other player’s legs and feet to get trapped.

The NFL has found 105 hip-drop tackles out of 20,000 tackles reviewed since 2022, per reports.

According to the NFL, the official rule is as follows:

ARTICLE 18. HIP-DROP TACKLE. 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.

Penalty: For a Hip-Drop Tackle: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down.

The NFL acknowledges the new swivel hip drop tackle ban rule is not going to be easy to determine on field, but they want it out because injury rate is 20 times, according to Miami Dolphins journalist Joe Schad.

"It occurs once a game but is increasing in frequency," Schad said, adding, "Results in high ankle sprains and fractures."

Former NFL star Robert Griffin III responded to the new ban, claiming, "With the NFL unanimously voting to ban the Hip-Drop tackle, it’s only a matter of time before football as we know it, is just physical flag football."

Pittsburgh Steelers LB Patrick Queen took to social media writing, "2 hand touch gone be next lmao."

And retired NFL player JJ Watt said, "Just fast forward to the belts with flags on them…"

Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark wrote, "Go ahead and outlaw bringing offensive players to the ground! That's where it’s headed. Make every game the pro bowl! This is getting ridiculous."

Another fan of the sport spoke out, expressing, "NFL will lose so much if they enforce this… Do not ban this NFL. Do the right thing. It’s a contact sport. Don’t make it soccer."

One X user had an "unpopular opinion", stating, "The reason most of today’s players are upset with the ban of the hip-drop tackle is because far too many of them were never trained well, and simply don’t know how to properly tackle!"

"NFL just banned a tackle that hasn’t been taught at any level in football. They made up a name for something and decided to ban it to make life harder on defense and offenses score more points!" another said on X.

"So done with football...ban after ban...get ready for penalty after penalty this coming season...that's what will decide games, along with the refs," one user wrote, adding, "They've completely liberalized this game. "

Philadelphia Eagles writer Jake Rabadi said his "biggest concern with the new hip-drop tackle ban is the consistency with it."

According to NFL reporter Adam Schefter, the league is leaving the “Tush Push” as a legal play for the 2024 season. NFL executive Troy Vincent said today that there will not be any proposal presented this off-season to ban it for next season. “The Eagles,” Vincent said on a conference call, “do it well.”

These decisions were made Monday, March 25 during the Annual League Meeting in Orlando, Florida.