Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon has joined the chorus of NFL players criticizing the league’s enforcement of a new rule this season banning what’s commonly known as a hip-drop tackle.
Mixon was injured in Sunday night’s 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears when linebacker T.J. Edwards came down on Mixon’s ankle early in the third quarter. After leaving the game for treatment, Mixon came back on the field later in the quarter, but played only seven more snaps the rest of the game.
No penalty was called on Edwards’ tackle, and Mixon expressed his disdain on social media after the game: ‘The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money where your mouth is.’
GRAPHIC: What is a hip-drop tackle?
After reviewing game film of the play, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters Monday afternoon he thought the tackle was a violation.
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‘It definitely in my mind, is considered the hip-drop,’ Ryans said. ‘When the defender unweights himself and then he puts all of his weight on the runner’s legs, you see why they want to get the hip-drop tackle out of the game. Because it causes a lot of injuries when it happens.’
Mixon wasn’t the only high-profile player upset over the new rule’s enforcement in Week 2.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was hit with a costly 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a 26-25 loss to Kansas City for complaining to officials for what he later told USA TODAY Sports was in response to an illegal hip-drop tackle.
When the NFL instituted the ban on the swivel hip-drop tackle for safety reasons this spring, there was significant pushback from some players, coaches and even the NFL Players Association about how the technique would be officiated.
After the first two weeks of the regular season, their concerns appear to be warranted.
