Texans’ Joe Mixon puts pressure on NFL after alleged hip-drop tackle that resulted in injury went unpunished
The NFL banned swivel hip drop tackles earlier this year and announced it would penalize anyone who uses the technique during the game.
The tackling technique has been the catalyst for several injuries in the league in recent years. The NFL commissioner was the first to push for a vote on the rule. Owners approved it unanimously, despite opposition from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). The union said it could not support a rule that would cause confusion among players, coaches, officials and fans.
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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon, No. 28, is introduced prior to his game against the Chicago Bears at NRG Stadium in Houston on September 15, 2024. (Thomas Shea-Images)
It seems that the NFLPA’s fears may have been justified.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon left Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears in the third quarter after Bears linebacker TJ Edwards brought him down with what Mixon perceived as an illegal tackle. He left the game with an ankle injury and returned to the field only briefly before being ejected again.
Mixon expressed his opinion on the move to X.
“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and a focus for a reason,” Mixon wrote. “It’s time to let actions speak.”
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon, No. 28, runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at NRG Stadium in Houston on September 15, 2024. (Troy Taormina – Imagn Images)
“When I got up, I asked the referee where the flag was that was a hip tackle. And his answer was: No, it wasn’t.”
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Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said he would have to watch the play again before filing a complaint about whether Mixon was injured by a swivel hip-drop tackle.
“Joe was twisted. The guy’s weight was definitely on his ankle,” he said via ESPN. “We’ll get Joe checked over the course of the week. Hopefully he’s OK.”
Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter (No. 4) is congratulated by Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans after intercepting a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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NFL officials acknowledged in March that referees would be involved in calling fouls in real time, and it appears that will be the case during the first two weeks of the regular season.
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