The NFL announced on Monday that team owners have given approval to a new rule proposal that outlaws the swivel hip-drop tackle technique. When this violation occurs during games, it will result in a 15-yard penalty being assessed against the offending team.

However, Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, suggested last week that enforcement of this new rule is likely to mirror the approach taken with the “use of helmet” rule. In those instances, officials typically do not throw flags during the game itself. Instead, warning letters and fines are more commonly issued to players after the fact, once the play has been reviewed during the upcoming week.

The swivel hip-drop tackle involves a defensive player pivoting their body in a specific manner to deliver a strike with their hip or shoulder area into an opponent’s knee or lower body. This tackling technique has raised concerns about the potential for causing lower-body injuries.

Two other proposals were approved:

• Teams will receive a third challenge after one successful challenge. Previously, teams had to be successful on two challenges to receive a third. The proposal was submitted by the Lions.
• If there is a double foul during a down in which there is a change or changes of possession, including if one of the fouls is a post-possession foul by a team during a scrimmage kick, the team last gaining possession will keep the ball after enforcement for its foul, provided it did not foul before last gaining possession.

The NFL announced a new rule change on Monday that bans the swivel hip-drop tackle technique, which often results in lower-body injuries. For this violation to be flagged, officials must observe two specific actions: 1) a defender grabbing or wrapping the ball carrier with both arms, and 2) the defender unweighting themselves by swiveling and dropping their hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the ball carrier’s leg(s) at or below the knee.

Troy Vincent clarified that this rule change does not eliminate all hip-drop tackles, but rather targets the specific “swivel technique” that is less commonly used but highly dangerous when executed. Vincent stated, “When it is used, it is incredibly injurious to the runner — the runner is purely defenseless.”

Troy Vincent explained, “You’ve got to come up with other ways, and you know what, they do. Yes, we outlawed the hip-drop, but what you may think are the drag-from-behind where he falls on the — that’s still a tackle. This is only that tackle where the player is lifting themselves in the air and then falling on the legs.”

According to Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president, there were 230 instances of this tackling technique last season, resulting in 15 players missing game time due to injuries sustained.

To illustrate the banned technique, the league presented video footage during a news conference, highlighting six specific plays where the swivel hip-drop tackle was used. The recipients of these now-illegal hits included tight end Drew Sample, running back Tony Pollard, receiver Tyler Boyd, and quarterbacks Geno Smith and Ryan Tannehill.

Moving forward, NFL teams will continue receiving video examples of illegal hits and proper tackling methods that comply with the rules.

By Vincent Quezada

Photo courtesy of the NFL