NFL’s Competition Committee Officially Proposes Ban On ‘Hip-Drop’ Tackles

The NFL’s competition and health and safety advisory committees have officially proposed banning the controversial tackle that ended New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson’s season in Week 13 last year.

The league released its proposal for a ban on the “hip-drop” tackle on Wednesday, according to NFL Insider Jonathan Jones.

The NFL and the competition committee are submitting this language for the dangerous hip-drop tackle. The penalty would be 15 yards. Officials believe they can correctly call it. Some, including the union, have worried about the potential subjectivity of the call pic.twitter.com/PBwAK09iH1

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 20, 2024

The proposal defines the tackle as when a defender “grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms and unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”

If the rule amendment is passed by 24 of the 32 franchise owners at the league’s annual meeting, the ban would be in place for the 2024 season. The penalty assessed on a “hip-drop” tackle would be 15 yards.

Former Patriots quarterback Cam Newton said in December that the league should outlaw the tackle, but not all players agree with the proposal.

The NFL Players Association released a statement after the proposal was officially announced.

The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a “swivel hip-drop” tackle. While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements in 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.

Our statement on the swivel hip-drop tackle. pic.twitter.com/8mzhjtPgKu

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 20, 2024

Both current NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant and former defensive back Richard Sherman strongly reacted to the proposal. Bryant called it “insane,” and Sherman believes players will have to make a decision on the field.

“Brother I’m at a loss for words,” Sherman wrote on X. “Guys going to have to make a decision to either allow them to drag them to the first down or give it by penalty. Ruining the game.”

The annual league meeting with the owners will be held from March 24-27 in Orlando.