New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau is expected to be fined for an illegal hip-drop tackle that injured Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison in Week 1.
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported on September 13 that the NFL has looked at two plays involving the tackle and ruled that defenders are “subject to fines” that will be announced on Saturday afternoon, including Muasau’s tackle of Addison.
Addison was ruled out for the Vikings’ Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers after his ankle was injured in Week 1.
Several medical experts have pointed to Muasau’s tackle as the culprit of Addison’s injury that will force him to miss at least one week.
In total, two hip-drop tackles went uncalled last week while there were zero flags thrown regarding the new rule.
For a first-time infraction, Musau could be fined $16,883 for performing the tackle, according to CBS Sports.
Here’s how the NFL defines the hip-drop tackle and how it will be penalized this season:
A hip-drop tackle will result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first-down if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground:
- Grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms and
- Unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.
NFL Admits to Struggles in Penalizing Tackle That Injured Vikings WR Jordan Addison
When the NFL approved a ban on the hip-drop tackle in March, league officials admitted it would be difficult to call in real time.
“Do we have a problem? The answer was yes,” NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay said in March, per CBS Sports. “This will be a hard one to call on the field, you have to see every element of it. We want to make it a rule so we can deal on the discipline during the week.”
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) pushed the league to reconsider banning the tackle to avoid confusion.
“While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to our game with health and safety in mind, we cannot support a rule change that causes confusion for us as players, for coaches, for officials and especially, for fans,” the NFLPA said in a statement. “We call on the NFL, again, to reconsider implementing this rule.”
This week’s fines should shed some light on the infraction but whether it will help prevent hip-drop tackles remains to be seen. The NFL estimated that the injury rate is at least 20 times higher than a normal tackle.
Addison’s injury is unfortunate, especially given it was the first week of enforcing the new rule and there was no punishment in-game.
Vikings WR Jalen Nailor Expected to Step Up vs. 49ers
With Addison out this week, third-year receiver Jalen Nailor is expected to see a significant role in the offense against the 49ers.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said earlier this week that he has prepared Nailor to see more work on Sunday in the case that Addison would be ruled out.
“I’m going to tell Speedy to prepare as if you’re going to be playing a lot more, a lot more snaps and a lot more first and second down, early-down snaps, because that’s why he’s here,” O’Connell said earlier this week, per Sports Illustrated’s Will Ragatz. “A ton of confidence in him to go be an every-down receiver for us.”
Nailor caught his only target last week for a 21-yard touchdown in the Vikings’ win over the Giants.
