JJ Watt has strong reaction to NFL banning hip-drop tackle

Jan 4, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) warms up before the AFC Wild Card NFL Playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL has officially made it even more difficult for defenders to tackle opponents legally, and one future Hall of Fame player is not happy about it.

NFL owners on Monday voted unanimously to approve a rule that bans the so-called “hip-drop tackle,” which is when a defender wraps up the offensive player and then twists or falls to the ground using his full body weight. The NFL Players Association was adamantly against the proposed rule and issued a statement recently saying it will place defensive players in an “impossible position.”

Watt agrees with the NFLPA. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year shared his reaction to the new rule with a very sarcastic post on X.

“Just fast forward to the belts with flags on them…” Watt wrote.

Just fast forward to the belts with flags on them… https://t.co/yToh5XKVMS

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 25, 2024

With the new rule, a hip-drop tackle will result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down. However, it is likely that there will be more instances where the NFL reviews a play after the fact and issues a fine if it is determined that a hip-drop tackle was used. That might be a more realistic way to discourage the play rather than having officials always trying to define it during a game.

Watt is not the only former NFL star to express a strong opinion about the hip-drop tackle ban, but defenders are simply going to have to adjust.