The NFL announced Monday that they have banned the hip-drop tackle after the motion passed unanimously with the Competition Committee. Former Wisconsin Badgers defensive lineman JJ Watt, isn’t a huge fan of the decision.
Throughout the years, the NFL has continued to emphasize players safety and Monday’s decision was another opportunity for them to feel like they’re doing just that.
On the flip side, there’s a perception that the rule changes that they continue to implement on the behalf safety, skew towards the offensive athletes. Over time, it’s become illegal to hit an offensive player above the head and neck (understandable), hitting a player with the crown of your helmet is outlawed (also understandable), landing on a quarterback with your full body weight isn’t allowed (often hard to gage) and even making contact with a QB below the knees will lead to a flag (often ticky-tack).
Watt’s frustrations on the hip-drop tackle ban will likely be echoed throughout the league and it’ll be interesting to see how the new rule is officiated in 2024.
Just fast forward to the belts with flags on them… https://t.co/yToh5XKVMS
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 25, 2024
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