NFL makes rule changes on hip-drop tackles, kickoffs

The NFL is adding another coaches challenge and banning hip-drop tackles, the league announced Monday.

On coaches challenges, head coaches will now be given a third challenge following a successful challenge. Previously, coaches were only give a third challenge following two successful challenges.

On hip-drop tackles, the NFL’s competition committee voted to add a 15-yard penalty due to safety reasons. A hip-drop tackle is when a defender grabs an offensive player around the waist and twists as he pulls him down, ultimately landing on his legs.

The NFL Players Association was opposed to penalizing hip-drop tackles, and NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay acknowledged the penalty will be difficult to call during games.

“It reminds me a little of [the] horse collar,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters Sunday. “It’s very obvious that it’s injurious.”

NFL owners voted to approve a major change to kickoffs Tuesday morning they hope will increase the number of returns, according to multiple reports.

The change, inspired by the XFL, would shift everyone but the kicker to the receiving team’s territory. Owners say the move would encourage more kickoff returns while allowing players to avoid the type of high-speed collisions that led to injuries. Last year was the lowest rate of kickoff returns in NFL history, with just 22% returned.

Here’s an explanation of how kickoffs would change under the new rule:

NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay estimated that as many as 1,200 of the 1,970 touchbacks the NFL had last year could turn into kickoff returns under the proposed rule change.

McKay said Monday the league wanted to vote on the change early, so teams can prepare by adding and scouting kick returners.

“The person you are going to have as your returner is going to matter, and we do have the draft coming up and we do have college free agency coming up,” McKay said, according to ProFootballTalk. “So, I think personnel people need to know is this play going to be in or out.”

One consequence of the new rule will be the elimination of surprise onside kicks. Teams will now need to declare they’re are planning an onside kick.