EXCLUSIVE: Should the NFL Ban Hip-Drop Tackle? Roosters’ Star James Tedesco Gives His Take Ahead of NRL 2024 Opener in Las Vegas

The NRL season typically kicks off in the first week of March and wraps up in October. During the season, a total of 204 games are played across 27 rounds, with each of the 17 teams competing in 24 matches. This year, the season will commence with a special event in Las Vegas, featuring teams like the Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos, Manly Sea Eagles, and South Sydney Rabbitohs.

To provide further insight, NRL star James Tedesco conversed exclusively with us, giving his two cents on the hip drop tackle and what steps the NFL could take.

James Tedesco suggests striking a balance

Weeks after Jordan Mailata’s exclusive chat with us, Sydney Roosters’ fullback, James Tedesco, joined EssentiallySports. We asked him about the hip-drop tackle and the allegations around the NFL becoming too soft. Tedesco said, “Yeah, well, we’re similar and it’s a penalty if someone does hip drop and that’s something to protect our players, but sometimes that just happens in our contact game. If you’re falling off a tackle or you’re going down around the legs, you might find yourself in those positions.”

The rugby star also said that the NRL has strict rules in place to prevent too much damage to players. “But we have implemented some rules to sort of protect our players as best we can, but we do understand it’s a big contact sport and it is hard to cut that fully out of the game. But I know the NFL are similar in protecting the quarterbacks.”

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He echoed the thoughts of Aaron Rodgers when he said, “And obviously, as spectators, you want as more action and as more brutality and more big hits as possible, which is still a big part of our game, a big part of the NFL.” However, that doesn’t mean putting the player in harm’s way, he argued, “But again, you’ve got to protect the players as best as possible, and the refs have to make a call on that.” But what is the NFL’s stance on this?

The NFL looking to ban hip-drop tackles

Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, equates the hip-drop tackle to the horse collar tackle. He described it as when the defender encircles the runner, then swings their weight and falls on the side of their leg, risking injury to the ankle or knee. Dr. Robert Glatter, a former sideline physician for the New York Jets, said, “A hip-drop tackle is so dangerous. The defender essentially swings their full body weight as they fall on their ankle, leg or knee. This leaves the lower body at risk for serious ankle and ligament damage.”

So, what is the NFL doing about this? The league’s health and safety officials have already met with the competition committee with the primary goal of eradicating the hip-drop tackle from the game. Executive Jeff Miller expressed his hope for rule changes to ban the tackle starting in 2024. However, the NFLPA had previously argued against such a ban, expressing concerns that it could create confusion and indecision among players, officials, and fans. Despite this, the NFL has examined rugby leagues with similar rules and appears determined to address the issue by penalizing the play.

Can the league walk the tightrope between ensuring player safety and giving scope to the defenders to actually do their job?