The hip-drop tackle continues to cause serious injuries, both at the NFL and college level.
Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a gruesome leg injury during Saturday’s game against North Alabama. Travis left the stadium in an ambulance.
The injury happened when the defender legally grabbed Travis around the waist and dropped to the ground, landing on Travis’s leg — and apparently breaking it.
The same technique resulted in a season-ending ankle injury on Thursday night to Ravens tight end Mark Andrews.
The NFL considered banning it last year, but did not. The challenge continues to be figuring out an alternative way for a player who is trailing the ball carrier to bring him down. Diving at the player pushes him forward, possibly converting a first down or scoring a touchdown.
Regardless, if the stewards of the game care about player health and safety, they need to spend plenty of time and effort considering all alternatives.
