The NFL’s enforcement of the hip-drop tackle ban it put in place this offseason came under criticism from Texans running back Joe Mixon on Sunday night.
Mixon left his team’s win over the Bears to be treated for an ankle injury he suffered while being tackled by Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards in the third quarter of the game. It appeared to have the elements of a hip-drop tackle, but no flag was thrown and Mixon took issue with the league’s preference for disciplining infractions with fines rather than penalties.
“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason,” Mixon wrote on X. “Time to put your money where your mouth is.”
Mixon was able to return to the game, although he only had one carry on seven snaps the rest of the way.
Mixon then wrote that he asked an official why there was no flag, he was told that the play did not violate the ban. Fines for Week Two will be announced next weekend and that will bring confirmation of whether or not the league feels Edwards’ tackle was an example of the hip-drop approach that was outlawed to protect against injuries like the one Mixon suffered on Sunday.
