How Patriots players reacted to the NFL banning the hip-drop tackle
“Eventually, you keep taking away certain plays, taking away certain plays, taking away this, taking away that, what’s going to be left of the game?"
NFL owners unanimously voted to ban the hip-drop tackle Monday morning, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, despite growing protests from the NFL Players Association.
Starting in the 2024 season, if a player is flagged for executing the hip-drop, his team will be penalized 15 yards and their opponent will receive an automatic first down. The NFL’s new rule states that:
“It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and (b) 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.”
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was injured by the hip-drop tackle during a game against the Chargers in December. While he has yet to make his opinion on the ban known, his fellow teammates have already spoken out.
Linebacker Ja’Whuan Bentley expressed his frustration with the new rule. Listing out the numerous banned tackles, he added “Y’all must not have had to tackle these dudes before.”
Center David Andrews attempted to put the hip-drop ban on ice back in December when Stevenson was initially sidelined. Per Zack Cox, Andrews explained to reporters that continuing to ban tackling techniques is undercutting defenders’ ability to do their job.
“It’s the defense’s job to tackle guys, and I don’t think people are doing that with malicious intent,” Andrews said. “Eventually, you keep taking away certain plays, taking away certain plays, taking away this, taking away that, what’s going to be left of the game? Look, it’s an unfortunate reality of this game, and no one wants to see that. Guys on other teams don’t want to see guys get hurt. We don’t want to see guys get hurt. But it’s an unfortunate reality of playing in the NFL — playing football at any level.”
Despite the sharp criticism the league is facing for the ban, one Patriots player has spoken favorably about the rule change.
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne posted a video to his Instagram Monday morning with an enthusiastic reaction to the news.
“Hey y’all, no more tackling low. Don’t hip drop, y’all gonna give me a first down!” he said.
Despite widespread objections from players, the rule change is not subject to review according to the league.
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