3 weeks ago
The NFL will beryllium enforcing a caller norm adjacent play to amended subordinate safety, banning nan "hip-drop tackle."
It's a norm that's received tons of backlash from players, some existent and former, who judge it will importantly hamper nan measurement defenders tackle opponents.
The arguable tackle occurs wherever a defender wraps nan shot bearer pinch his hands aliases arms and past drops their hips, causing nan shot carrier's legs and feet to go trapped.
San Francisco 49ers tight extremity George Kittle, a difficult man to return down connected nan field, shared his ain thoughts regarding nan rule, which will consequence successful a 15-yard punishment erstwhile enforced. As an violative player, it will use him erstwhile it's called, but he does person a large concern.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
George Kittle (85) of nan San Francisco 49ers runs aft making a drawback during nan Super Bowl against nan Kansas City Chiefs astatine Allegiant Stadium Feb. 11, 2024, successful Las Vegas. (Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
"When you watch football, that tackle injures people, I conscionable don’t think, very often," he told Fox News Digital. "My biggest interest from it is that tackle astir apt happens a lot, and group bounce up. And nary 1 thinks doubly astir it. What I conscionable don’t want to person hap is aggregate penalties are getting called successful situations wherever a punishment doesn’t request to beryllium called."
Others work together pinch Kittle, particularly considering referees will request to telephone nan tackle successful existent time. And erstwhile it's crunch time, could a discretionary telephone impact wins aliases losses?
It could besides slow games down pinch a 3rd replay situation besides being approved astatine nan NFL owners meetings.
49ERS STAR GEORGE KITTLE PRAISES CAITLIN CLARK: ‘SHE’S JUST SO AUTHENTIC'
NFL executive Jeff Miller said hip-drop tackles occurred 230 times past season, up 65% from nan erstwhile year. Fifteen players missed clip pursuing nan tackle owed to injury.
"I get it. Those injuries are tough, and I don’t really cognize really to extremity it," Kittle said. "I don’t cognize really to show defenders really to tackle, particularly erstwhile a feline is moving distant from you, and you person to dive from nan side. I’m not wholly judge what you want defenders to do, but I cognize nan convention is trying to do things to support players safe. So, I deliberation it’s going to person to beryllium a patient speech of erstwhile to make nan telephone and erstwhile not to make nan telephone truthful it’s not a penalty-filled game."
Detroit Lions prima wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown admits defenders will person it harder adjacent season.
"I consciousness for nan players that do play defense because I consciousness for illustration they’re not trying to hip-drop tackle," he told Fox News Digital. "It conscionable benignant of happens naturally. As an violative player, I’ve seen dudes get wounded successful games. I’ve seen it connected TV. It’s decidedly a vulnerable tackle arsenic an offender erstwhile you person nan shot successful your manus and personification does tackle for illustration that.
"As a shot player, erstwhile I’m watching nan plays, I tin show it’s going to beryllium a vulnerable tackle earlier he moreover falls. So, I understand what nan convention is doing."
Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) of nan Detroit Lions catches a walk during nan 2nd 4th against nan San Francisco 49ers successful nan NFC title crippled astatine Levi's Stadium Jan. 28, 2024, successful Santa Clara, Calif. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Being an violative player, Kittle isn't going to kick if his squad gets an other 15 yards connected apical of what was already gained. But there's besides a chance he's connected nan sideline and his teammate is flagged for nan forbidden tackle.
"I’m beautiful judge I’ve been tackled for illustration that a fistful of times, and I didn’t moreover announcement it. Next clip I get tackled for illustration that and I hop correct backmost up and there’s a punishment emblem for 15 yards, I’ll beryllium like, ‘Well, that’s convenient for me, but I don’t really cognize what nan feline did wrong,'" he explained.
"So, they’re going to person to continuely look astatine it, spot erstwhile to propulsion nan flag, erstwhile not to propulsion nan emblem because, astatine nan extremity of nan day, we’re playing football. The constituent of nan crippled is to people touchdowns and get tackles. We’ll conscionable person to spot wherever nan equilibrium is."
The NFL has heard complaints astir norm changes successful nan past, but nan convention gets utilized to them. Players, coaches and fans accommodate for subordinate safety, whether it's nary longer starring pinch nan helmet aliases a defender not dropping afloat assemblage weight connected quarterbacks during hits.
Kittle hopes this norm doesn't drastically alteration nan game.
"I deliberation there’s been adjustments made earlier wherever group are up successful arms astir [something], and it ended up being not that large of a deal. I’m hoping it’s 1 of those things wherever [the flag] is wherever it needs to beryllium called, and erstwhile it doesn’t request to beryllium called, they fto it go."
George Kittle of nan San Francisco 49ers during pregame warmups earlier nan Super Bowl against nan Kansas City Chiefs astatine Allegiant Stadium Feb. 11, 2024, successful Las Vegas. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"I’m gladsome they’re trying to protect nan players," St. Brown said. "It’s kinda reliable arsenic a defender to not effort to bring personification down, and successful nan backmost of your mind say, ‘Oh, I can’t hep driblet tackle.’ At nan aforesaid time, it does protect nan subordinate safety, and I play offense. They’re protecting us, I’m happy."
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Scott Thompson is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
