The NFL made the controversial decision to ban the “hip-drop” style of tackle this offseason, much to the displeasure of the NFL Players Association. But Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh seems to think that the rule change won’t be a big deal and players will adjust.
John Harbaugh pointed out that the hip-drop tackle is relatively new to the game and there are alternatives for defenders bringing ball-carriers to the ground.
“When did you ever hear about the hip-drop tackle until like two years ago, three years ago, right?,” Harbaugh said according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “That’s because it was discovered, probably, in rugby and started being executed as a standalone technique. It’s a three-part movement, [and] you’ve got to execute that play. You’ve got to be close enough to that ball carrier to actually get him around the hips, pull him close to yourself, swing your hips through and drop on the back of his legs. If you’re that close, wrap him up, tackle him and take him to the ground, like Ray Lewis used to do and everybody did for 100 years before that.”
We’ll have to see how players adjust to the rule change this season.
[ESPN]
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