The NFL is constantly changing and evolving. The game we watch today is vastly different in many ways than 20 or even 10 years ago. One of the biggest and most discussed changes this offseason was the ban of the hip-drop tackle.
If a player "grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner's leg at or below the knee," a penalty will be called.
While on the Pat McAfee Show, Belichick spoke with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about various elements of the game, including the recent ban of the hip-drop tackle. Without a head-coaching job, Belichick no longer has a dog in the fight, but even from the sidelines, he is glad the ban was put in place.
"It's a good thing to get rid of. There's really no place for it. It's just good to continue to keep the game safe for the players," Belichick said.
Multiple other coaches have had similar reactions and have noted that the style of tackling can cause injuries. Goodell said there is a higher injury rate when the tackle is used.
"When you see a play that is greater than 20 times the injury rate, and most of those injuries are pretty severe, they're career ending or season ending, you've got to make the change," Goodell said.
NFL executive Jeff Miller said this type of tackle was used by defensive players 230 times in 2023, with 15 players missing time due to injuries from them. Belichick saw a serious injury as a result of a hip-drop tackle last season, when New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson went down on such a play.
The future Hall of Fame coach believes the change will make the league safer for players. Many defensive players who find the tackle useful to bring players down, as well as defensive coaches who utilize the tackle, may disagree with eliminating it, but even as a defensive-minded coach, Belichick is in favor of the change.
"It's definitely helped the game be safer," Belichick said.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh called the hip-drop tackle a "bad play," adding that "it needed to be out." He believes the season-ending injury to Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was due to a hip-drop tackle.
The NFL Players Association disagrees with Belichick, Harbaugh and others who support the change, saying in a statement, "While the players have consistently advocated for health and safety advancements, any prohibition on the 'hip-drop tackle' technique is unfair to players and unrealistic to implement."
