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J.J. Watt Compares NFL's Hip-Drop Tackle Ban to Flag Football Amid Player Backlash Over rule change
J.J. Watt criticizes the NFL's hip-drop tackle ban, likening it to flag football, amid varied player reactions to the controversial rule change for safety.
a recent decision by the NFL has sparked a fiery debate across the board, drawing parallels to the less-contact nature of flag football. The heart of the controversy lies in the league's unanimous decision to outlaw the hip-drop tackle, a move traditionally leveraged by defenders to halt the momentum of their opponent.
This rule change, according to most players, is not just a modification of the playbook but a fundamental shift in the game's physical ethos, tipping the scales even further in favor of offensive play. This change has drawn a range of reactions, from support by some for its potential to reduce injuries, to criticisms by others, including notable figures like J.J. Watt, a retired three-time defensive player of the year, who compared it to the regulations of flag football, echoed by many like Robert Griffin. Pat McAfee, and more.
NFL bans Hip-Drop tackle
The NFL's Competition Committee has recommended that the hip-drop tackle be penalized as a 15-yard personal foul, defining the act as one where a player grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms, then 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.
The rationale behind this proposition stems from injury data collected by the league, highlighting that hip-drop tackles increase the risk of injury by 25 times the rate of a standard tackle. However, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has voiced strong opposition to the prohibition of the hip-drop tackle.
The union argues that such a rule change introduces confusion among players, coaches, officials, and fans alike, and has called upon the NFL to reconsider its implementation. While a majority of the player reaction has been critical, not all voices within the community oppose the new rule. Kenyan Drake, a running back whose 2021 season was marred by a fracture resulting from a tackle, publicly supported the change.
Similarly, retired Pro Bowl tackle Kyle Long backed the league's efforts to minimize serious injuries.
But majority was dissatisfied with the ban, Among the voices raised in opposition is that of J.J. Watt, likening the new regulation to flag football.
Others echoed Watt's sentiments,
What do you think the league's commitment to player safety is clear, but is it at what cost of game's essence?
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