Per a report from NFL Network insider Judy Battista, the NFL Competition Committee is likely going to look to eliminate hip drop tackles. Battista reported today on Twitter that the committee is working to find the right language for the rule, but they are “aligned” on eliminating the play.
The change comes after a season where the tackle generated a lot of controversy, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in December they need to be eliminated from the game. A hip-drop tackle is when a defender goes to make a tackle from behind and leaves their feet to land on the opposing player’s hip to drag them down. That can cause players to get their feet tangled up underneath, which can lead to lower-body injuries.
The NFLPA came out in favor of keeping the tackle in the game last off-season, as it can make it harder for defensive players to catch and bring down the ball carrier from behind. But it seems as if the league and the Competition Committee, of which Mike Tomlin is a member, are ready to eliminate the tackle once and for all.
It’ll be interesting to see the wording used to get rid of the play if it does end up coming to fruition, as it’s the sort of play that can be difficult to judge on the field. One of the most notable examples of the hip-drop tackle leading to an injury was the tackle by Cincinnati Bengals LB Logan Wilson on Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews, but Andrews came out and said he didn’t blame Wilson who was just trying to make a play. On the contrary, Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith called it a “dirty play” after being brought down by a hip-drop tackle by New York Giants LB Isaiah Simmons earlier this season.
While nothing is official, the Competition Committee will have multiple meetings over the next month, including one tomorrow, according to Battista. We’ll likely have some clarity on the hip-drop and the rule that could ban it from the game within the next month. The hip-drop play wasn’t discussed in the meeting today, but there’s little doubt it will be brought up in one of the next meetings.
