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One of the significant issues coming out of this season in the National Football League was the hip-drop tackle. Several players, including Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, were injured by the move. Thus, there were calls to have the tackle banned.
The hip-drop tackle involves a defender grabbing an offensive player and trying to pull them down using their weight while dropping down to the ground. Although it may be an effective way to get someone to the ground, it is truthfully dangerous.
Players have been getting injured by it for years, and the NFL Players Association was against banning the rule before the 2023 season, per nbcsports.com. That stance hasn't changed despite NFL Head of Safety Jeff Miller saying the league does.
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But Atlanta Falcons defensive player Calais Campbell said via nbc.com the rule would be hard to referee:
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“A lot of rules that were put in place over the last 10-plus years that made the game a lot safer were big adjustments for players. I feel like this particular rule change, I don’t understand how you can police it the right way and allow us to do our job.”
Fans shared their thoughts on this on Reddit, with one saying that there has to be an acceptable level of risk when playing NFL football.
Other fans gave their thoughts on the hip-drop tackle and Campbell's comments.
So, the NFL wants the tackle out of the game. However, the NFLPA and some players feel it would make it hard for referees to officiate and make players' jobs harder.
Fans are torn on the idea, and the league already has enough trouble enforcing the rules it already has.
How could the NFL officiate the hip-drop tackle?
So, if the league does impose a ban on the tackle, they would have to figure out how to police it.
Would a 15-yard penalty be good enough like a facemask penalty is now? The other thing is that we have seen so many roughing the passer calls that weren't "roughing," and the flag was still thrown.
If a referee deemed a hip-drop tackle has taken place and a 15-yard penalty is given, only for the replay to show that it clearly wasn't, then the league would face backlash as it does now for the roughing the passer penalties.
So, while it is all good and well for the league to "want it out of the game," how they get it out of the game and how they police it remain big question marks.
Football is already creating frustration for fans as the refereeing this season for some wasn't up to scratch. So, adding another rule that is hard to officiate will only create more drama.
The hip-drop tackle is dangerous. But working out a plan to deal with it properly while keeping the physicality of football that fans love in place is challenging.
How do they do it? We aren't entirely sure.
