The NFL is considering a ban on two types of plays that have been highly scrutinized during the 2023 season thus far. During the league’s owners meetings in New York this week, the “hip drop” tackle and Tush Push quarterback sneak have been high among the topics of discussion.
Due to the potential for serious injury, the “hip drop” appears to be a priority for league executives to address, according to the Associated Press. Research conducted by the NFL says that hip drop tackles increase the risk of injury by 25 times over a regular tackle.
With a hip drop, a defender wraps up a runner and uses his full weight to twist, then fall, often coming down on the offensive player’s legs, which can injure an ankle or knee. Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, called the hip drop a “cousin” to the horse collar tackle that was banned in 2005.
