BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 2024 NFL season is still over 100 days away, but there are already some anticipated changes coming, not just for the Buffalo Bills, but for the entire league.
At the NFL’s annual meetings in Orlando on Monday, the league announced that its owners have approved a rule change to ban the swivel hip-drop tackle.
The tackling style occurs when a player pulls a ball carrier down using his body weight, landing on the runner’s legs below the knee.
It frequently causes lower-body injuries to the ball carrier, which prompted the rule change. NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said last season there were 230 incidents of the technique and 15 players missed time as a result.
The violation will result in a 15-yard penalty and could also be assessed a fine or warning letter after the fact.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott was asked about the change Monday.
“It's trying to see things through the eyes or the lens of what's best for the league, what's best for the game, and not just what's best for the Buffalo Bills, or what's best for defense vs. offense,” McDermott said. “At the end of the day, we've got to do what's best for the game and keeps the players as safe as possible.”
The NFL also announced two other rule changes Monday. The first grants a team a third challenge if they are successful in one rather than two as it’s been in the past. The other states that if there is a double flag during a down in which there is a change of possession, the team last gaining possession will keep the ball after enforcement of the fouls.