NFL owners have banned the hip-drop tackle

Despite the NFLPA’s opposing stance, the hip-drop move has been officially banned

The NFL announced on Monday that it had approved a new rule proposal prohibiting players from using the hip-drop tackle.

The new violation will result in a 15-yard penalty.

Amidst opposition from the NFL Players Association, the NFL has announced its decision to outlaw a specific tackling technique. The league leaders have clarified that they cannot ignore the injury rate, which is much higher, 20 to 25 times higher, than the standard tackles. To make this assertion, the NFL’s health and safety staff have thoroughly examined 20,000 tackles from recent seasons.

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.

With the passing of the new rule, players and personalities have taken to social media to express their thoughts.

The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) opposed the hip-drop tackle ban and argued that eliminating the technique would be “detrimental to the game.”

However, Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, knew that the league wanted to continue removing unsafe plays from the game and continued to advocate for ways to keep it safe.

“The greatest asset for any athlete is durability and availability,” Vincent said. “When you have a play that has a 20-25 times the injury rate, it doesn’t allow you to fulfill your dreams.”

A change in the rule could give offensive players an advantage. Still, it could also create complications for defensive players and lead to critical game situations in the 2024 season, as we have seen before with the change in roughing the passer.

In addition to the removal of the hip-drop tackle, the NFL approved two other rule changes:

1. Amends Rule 15, Section 1, Article 1, changing the challenge rule. Whereas previously, coaches needed to get each of their first two challenges correct to get a third, they simply must get one correct to get another shot at dropping the red flag.
2. Amends Rule 14, Section 5, Article 2, changing the enforcement of a major foul by the offense prior to a change of possession in a situation where both teams have committed fouls.