https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/nfl-suspends-commanders-lb-frankie-luvu-1-game-after-third-hip-drop-tackle-of-the-season-011052664.html
A year and a half after the NFL banned hip-drop tackles, the league is cracking down on the play. Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu has been suspended one game without pay for repeatedly violating the hip-drop tackle rule, the NFL announced Monday.
Per the league, Luvu committed his third hip-drop tackle of the season during the Commanders’ blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night. Luvu was previously fined for the tackle during Week 4 and Week 8.
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In a statement, the NFL cited “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players” as the reason behind Luvu’s suspension. It is believed to be the league’s first official hip-drop suspension since banning the practice in 2024.
Luvu reportedly plans to appeal the suspension, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Luvu’s questionable tackle occurred in the first quarter of Sunday’s game, with the linebacker twisting Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the ground after a reception.
No flag was thrown at the time.
The NFL began considering a ban on hip-drop tackles in 2023 after researched showed the tackle created 25 times more of an injury risk than a typical tackle. The league then officially banned the technique at an owners’ meeting in March 2024.
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The new NFL rule states that using this “swivel” technique is considered a personal foul. From the NFL rulebook:
“It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: 1) grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and 2) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
Technically speaking, the “swivel” technique is what results in the penalty, not the actual hip-drop tackle.
Multiple players have been fined for the tackle in the two seasons since. Notably, this includes Luvu, who was fined last January for a hip-drop tackle in addition to a fine for helmet-to-helmet contact.
If Luvu’s appeal fails, he will miss the Commanders’ matchup against the Detroit Lions. It’ll be another blow to Washington, which is already playing without Jayden Daniels after the quarterback suffered a dislocated elbow.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/nfl-suspends-commanders-lb-frankie-luvu-1-game-after-third-hip-drop-tackle-of-the-season-011052664.html
