The NFL’s controversial hip-drop tackle has a staunch defender: the NFLPA.
At Wednesday’s press conference, players on the Players Association Executive Committee talked about a number of topics about the league and the hip-drop tackle, in which a player puts his weight on the ball carrier’s foot to lead. Hips — were also discussed.
Chargers star running back Austin Ekeler went so far as to say that if the NFL banned this type of tackle, it would be “detrimental” to the sport.
“Well, I think it really hurts the quality of the game on a lot of different levels,” Ekeler said. “It’s just the officials, you’re putting another gray-area requirement on them. ‘Did you or didn’t you?’ And there’s a 15-yard penalty, but what if?” That may or may not have been the case. And do their fines also have something to do with it? …That’s part of football.
“For example, when you’re tackling people, you’re going to be twisting around and flipping all over the place because you just lay down and start running at full speed. You both have a lot of energy. So I honestly think it’s detrimental to the game for them to try to move forward with this.”
Ekeler’s comments come as some people, including retired Australian rugby great and Fox League pundit Matty Johns, have been tested for hip drop tackles following a number of injuries. This comes after the NFL was asked to ban the game.
Specifically, Ravens tight end Mark Andrews injured his ankle in Week 11 when he was taken down in a hip-drop tackle by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson.
Andrews missed the remainder of the regular season but returned to Baltimore’s lineup for the AFC title game.
Even before Andrews’ injury, the NFL announced in October that it was considering banning the controversial tackle. The Associated Press reported at the time.
But Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell, who is also a member of the executive committee, questioned how the league would actually stop tackles, or what the means would be to actually enforce them.
“I just don’t understand how they can police it the right way and allow us to do our job,” Campbell said, according to ESPN. “After all, how do you tackle a guy?”
