As the new season commences as the first with the ban on the hip-drop tackle, we already have the first casualty. The NFL outlawed the defensive move that entails the player un-weighing himself “by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s legs.” Week 1 has Darius Muasau as the first person to become the ban’s victim.
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The New York Giants linebacker has been fined for using the hip-drop tackle against Minnesota’s Jordan Addison. In the third quarter, the Vikings WR hurt his recently healed ankle as he seemed to get caught under Muasau, who ended up with a fine of $4,696. He was charged with “unnecessary roughness” along with another Giants teammate.
Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson was also fined in the second quarter for using the hip-drop tackle against TE Johnny Mundt. While many online users didn’t deem the play to be a banned move, the league definitely did.
The ban came into effect this offseason when the league analyzed the data and assessed that the hip drop tackle produces lower extremities injuries about twenty times more often than other tackles. Thus keeping the athlete’s safety in mind, the move was deemed invalid, which would hand a 15-yard penalty to the guilty team.
However, Penalties and recognition of the tackle seem to still be in murky waters, as was the case with the Jets and 49ers matchup.
The hip-drop tackle that wasn’t!
While the Giants athletes suffer from significant penalties, there was a hip-drop tackle that escaped the fate last week. At the beginning of the third quarter, Michael Carter II wrapped his arms around the Vikings’ Juan Jennings and swiveled his lower half, landing at the WR’s legs.
Jennings could be seen limping slightly and had to leave the field for some time. While the move wasn’t flagged, many acknowledged it as a hip-drop tackle, including ManningCast’s broadcaster, Eli Manning.
perfectly executed hip drop tackle
no flag pic.twitter.com/PdPSihFvHQ
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 10, 2024
The claim was further supported by PFT’s Mike Florio who reported that the move was prescribed as a flag by “a source with knowledge of the league’s assessment of the play.”
Due to this confusion among fans, the NLFPA requested the NFL to reconsider the decision on the hip-drop tackle.
“The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a ‘swivel hip-drop’ tackle,” the NFLPA said. “While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to 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.”
It will be interesting to see if the guidelines around the hip-drop tackle ban become clearer as we go forward in the season or whether we get to see more head-scratching decisions.
