From one NFL tight end who’s had his knee mangled and season ruined by a low hit to another, complaints about new trends in tackling are growing across the NFL.
Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller chirped up Monday to express sympathy to Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski after Gronkowski’s season ended with an MRI confirmation of an ACL and MCL tear. Gronkowski hurt his knee in Sunday’s win over the Browns, when Cleveland safety T.J. Ward, who said after the game that he tackled low to avoid a possible fine for hitting Gronkowski near the head, drilled Gronkowski’s knee in a brutal tackle.
Keller was felled by a similar hit in the preseason by Texans safety D.J. Swearinger, who said later that he had been told to be careful about hitting high because of possible penalties or fines.
Keller, who like many other NFL players seems more worried about leg injuries that could end his career than head injuries that could sideline him for a matter of weeks (but are of much bigger concern to the league because of its concussion crisis), shared his view on low hits again Monday.
[tweet https://twitter.com/DUSTINKELLER81/statuses/410194422823784448 align=’center’]
