Why has the NFL banned hip drop tackles? Exploring potential reasons behind major rule change

Many have advocated for the NFL to clamp down on or enforce an outright ban on the hip-drop tackle style, as it has been linked to a number of player injuries in recent years.

When a player catches a runner with both hands or wraps them with both arms while lowering their body to trap or rest on the runner's leg or below the knee, it's called a hip-drop tackle.

The NFL Competition Committee, last week, proposed banning or restricting the hip-drop tackle and implementing a 15-yard penalty resulting in an automatic first down.

NFL owners on Monday approved the idea to outlaw the tackle, which addresses one of the league's major safety issues but also irritates a lot of athletes and their union, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said that the league needs to banish the tackling style, in a conference call a few days ago. He cited data from the league that showed that the technique caused ball carriers to get injured about 25 times more frequently than regular tackles.

The NFL competition committee seems to think about the hip-drop tackle in the same light as the horse collar tackles, which were outlawed before the 2005 season.

The league took notice when Mark Andrews broke his fibula and injured his ankle ligaments during a regular-season game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to the now-banned tackling technique.

Linebacker Logan Wilson used this strategy to bring down the Baltimore Ravens tight end during a play. Andrews remained sidelined until the Ravens' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game.

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What NFL players have to say about hip drop tackles

NFL players have expressed their displeasure with the new rule prohibiting the tackling technique despite the fact that some players have been injured due to hip-drop tackles.

Troy Vincent, though, thinks that it's because players frequently oppose modifications, particularly ones that do away with risky game mechanics. The NFLPA, on behalf of its players, lobbied decision-makers last week to keep the hip-drop tackle legal.

One of the reasons given was that the league can not accept a rule change that would confuse players participating in the game.

The NFLPA's statement read:

"While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to our game with health and safety in mind, 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.”

In the last few months, many well-known players have voiced their opposition to the technique's suspension.

"The laws about roughing the quarterback and interfering make defense difficult enough,” retired Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said on social media in February. "This idea would be an overkill,” he continued.

"Just fast-forward to the belts with flags on them," said JJ Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, also expressing his displeasure with the rule change.