The NFL has once again shown why they should change their name to the “No Fun League.”
NFL owners unanimously approved a rule that bans the hip-drop tackle, according to a March 25 article by Associated Press News.
A hip-drop tackle occurs when a defender wraps a ball carrier and swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto the ball carrier's legs during the tackle, according to the NFL website.
After the new rule becomes active, a hip-drop tackle will result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down if a defender uses it. I can see this already backfiring and becoming a controversial topic after referees inevitably mess up on a call.
Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, has claimed player safety was the reason this move was banned.
The hip-drop tackle was used 230 times last season and resulted in 15 players missing time with injuries. The NFL has analyzed more than 20,000 tackles over the past two seasons and determined this technique causes lower extremity injuries at a rate 20 times higher than other tackles, according to the NFL website.
Obviously players' safety should be a top priority, but that's not why the NFL banned the hip-drop tackle. They want to see points on the board because that is what attracts viewers and earns them money.
This ban makes the defender's job harder than it already is. If a tight end gets around the cornerback or safety then that’ll be an even tougher job for the defender because of the size disparity.
On average cornerbacks weigh around 200 pounds whereas tight ends can weigh up to 254 pounds, according to Eco Sports.
The old saying applied to sports of “defense wins championships”, is fading away as rules favoring offense emerge.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has been against the rule change. NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell said he doesn't believe the rule can be enforced fairly, according to a March 25 Fox Sports article.
Multiple players have expressed their disdain for the rule change.
Former NFL defensive end JJ Watt went on social media to say how the game is becoming more like flag football.
This ban is bound to cause confusion between the hip-drop tackle and a regular tackle, especially among the referees. Now they have even more power to affect the outcome of a game instead of the actual teams.
As they have in the past, referees are going to call the flag on the new rule relentlessly so that everyone understands that the ban is permanent.
Defenses now have to adjust and coach up new ways to tackle an opponent, which wouldn’t be hard to do if it weren't for the confusion surrounding the rule and how it will be enforced.
This isn’t the first time the NFL has had a rule change that affects defenses. Some notable changes have been the ban of the horse-collar tackle and the tuck rule.
It’s true that those changes didn’t interfere with viewership but this new hip-drop tackle is much more confusing to enforce on the field.
If player safety is the sole reason for this new ban then the NFL wouldn’t have expanded the season to 17 games nor would they be trying to extend it to 18 games.
Trying to extend the NFL season while banning the hip-drop tackle and claiming to prioritize player safety is hypocritical.
The board at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) thought about changing the same rule but the committee decided it would be too difficult to legislate the rule on the field, according to CBS Sports.
The NCAA manages programs that benefit student-athletes and support member committees that make rules and policies for college sports according to its website.
Notable players, the NFLPA and the NCAA are in agreement when it comes to the hip-drop tackle rule and how this will only cause confusion. This will eventually blow up when the outcome of a game is decided on a flag.
