John Harbaugh questions why Logan Wilson needed to use a hip-drop tackle on Mark Andrews

Ravens Tight End Mark Andrews Suffers Season-Ending Injury, Coach Questions Tackling Technique

On Thursday night, Ravens tight end Mark Andrews sustained a serious ankle injury, abruptly ending his season. Head coach John Harbaugh expressed his dissatisfaction with the tackling technique used on Andrews.

Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson executed the hip-drop tackle to bring down Andrews from behind, resulting in a devastating injury to Andrews’ lower left leg. Although the hip-drop tackle is within the rules, there is growing skepticism within the NFL community about its safety. Harbaugh specifically questioned the necessity of using such a technique on Andrews and highlighted a similar tackle on Lamar Jackson near the sideline. The Ravens intend to report these incidents to the league office for further review.

The hip-drop tackle has been banned in certain rugby leagues, defining it as when a defender seizes the ball carrier with one or both hands, swivels his body to the side or rear of the ball carrier, and then imposes his body weight onto the ball carrier’s legs. The NFL has deliberated on prohibiting the hip-drop tackle, but at present, it remains permissible in football.

Interestingly, the NFL Players Association has voiced opposition to banning hip-drop tackles, fearing the difficult position it would put defensive players in. The league continues to evaluate the situation, but there has yet to be a concrete proposal with substantial support from players and teams defining what constitutes a hip-drop tackle.

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John Smith

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