Recently, the NFL decided to change two of their rules: kick-off formation and hip-drop tackling. The new kick-off formation is interesting but has already been tested in the UFL. However, banning hip-drop tackles has backfired tremendously.
The hip-drop tackle is a form of tackling where the defender drops the ball carrier by grabbing their hip and bringing them down from behind. This form of tackling has led to many gruesome injuries to the lower legs in the past. However, it is the most effective way to bring a runner down from behind – so why ban it? NFL players immediately went to social media to express their concerns.
Former defensive tackle JJ Watt posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Just fast forward to belts with flags on them.”
He was not the only player to go to X to have their voice heard.
“Breaking news: tackling banned,” said Dolphins safety Javon Holland in his post.
“There’s no such thing as a hip drop tackle. It is just a regular tackle,” posted linebacker Emmanuel Acho.
There were also players with the opposite point of view on this.
“I don’t care about popular opinion,” said Ravens running back Kenyan Drake in a post on X. “I lost my right ankle to this type of tackle.
“Something had to give, and I am glad it’s not someone’s legs anymore.”
I believe this is a huge step back for defenders and significantly hinders their ability to play football. In the past, rules that have been tested in the NFL have been brought to college football too. Will this rule be brought down as well? I sure hope not because this rule sucks.
The real problem does not lie in the tackling form, but rather in the playing surface of the field. Turf field have become popular in recent years due to the ability of not having to tend grass every week. Turf is easier to install and easier to manage.
The NFLPA gathered injury information on April 20, 2023, to show the difference in grass and turf. The injury rate on turf was 0.48 per 100 compared to 0.35 on grass in 2022. From 2012 to 2022, turf has seen significantly higher non-contact and gruesome injuries than grass. Even the players prefer to play on grass because it feels better to them.
In 2021, the rates were 0.42 on turf and 0.41 on grass. According to the NFLPA article, this rate has been used as a PR stunt to say the turf versus grass war does not exist. Well, let me tell you firsthand, it does. This PR stunt was the beginning for making the NFL “safer” for offensive players.
The game is a contact sport in the first place; players are going to get hurt. I feel banning the hip-drop and turning it into a penalty is a horrible way to solve the injury issue and just increases the rift between players and owners. It has already begun, but eventually, the NFL will stop listening to players all together.
The only way to solve the injury issue is by eliminating turf fields, not by banning a specific tackle. The game of football is changing for the worse. I just pray this rule never reaches the collegiate level of the sport.
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