Outlawed: The ‘Hip-Drop' Tackle No More

Baltimore Ravens' boss John Harbaugh couldn't be happier that the NFL has axed the notorious hip-drop tackle after it left his star player, Mark Andrews, out in the cold with a nasty injury. Harbaugh's straight talk: "It's 25 times more likely to cause harm, so good riddance!" He's throwing shade at the technique that's been causing a stir only recently, and he's not alone. The league is slapping a hefty 15-yard penalty on anyone caught in the act, and they're ready to fine players after the game too.

Defenders in Disarray?

The ban's got some players, especially defenders, grumbling, but Harbaugh's dropping truth bombs: "Classic tackling worked just fine for a century, folks!" He points the finger at rugby for this unwanted import and breaks it down for us – it's a three-step recipe for disaster. Instead, he's all about old-school wraps and ground takedowns, à la football legend Ray Lewis.

The NFL's played stats detective, pointing out the hip-drop led to more players missing games than your average tackle. With 230 registered cases last season, they're not taking chances. How defenders will deal without their newfangled move? Harbaugh bets they'll shake it off and play on like the good old days. Subscribe to Statbet – your fix for spicy sports takes and more straight-talking moments!