Since it became a topic of conversation that hip-drop tackles could be banned for the 2024 season, Jabrill Peppers was very outspoken.
And his main point: they shouldn't be banned.
However, the NFL ultimately decided in March to ban the controversial tackle. And Peppers was not happy. He initially took to social media, but on Tuesday, he spoke with reporters for the first time since it became official.
“I don’t like it. I don’t know how you officiate it,” Peppers said. “It’s a 15-yard penalty. Is it a personal foul? So if somebody does it twice do they get eliminated from the game? I just have a lot of questions about it. What are they looking for? What draws the flag? Because if this is going to be like how it is when we hit a guy really hard — the optics of it and you flag it — rather than some sort of protocol that they have to throw the flag? We don’t know.”
But in the end, he knows it's something he will have to deal with for the 2024 season.
“You’ve just gotta adapt,” Peppers said. “As a defender I’ve never had to worry about the health of the guy I’m tackling. Obviously you don’t wanna lead with the crown of your helmet, but typically if you hit somebody in the strike zone, however you get him down is how you get him down. But like with anything, we’ll have to adapt. You don’t want to hurt the team getting 15-yard penalties. I don’t think, me personally, I’ve had any tackles that are hip-drop tackles. I’m more of a kind of wrap and roll type of guy. But in certain situations you’ve gotta get the guy on the ground, you’ve gotta get him on the ground. As long as you do it legally, no grabbing him by the horsecollar or the facemask. Now this is just another obstacle for us.
“The defensive guys will adapt. I’m just curious when we’re going to start getting some rule changes in our favor.”
Peppers immediately reacted to the news on social media in March when the rule change was made official.
“Yes I’m (ticked) off, soft ass league they got me in,” Peppers tweeted. “Cant even play like the guys I grew up idolizing. Just put flags on us and everyone can play til they’re 40.”
Peppers and the rest of the defense are going to have to figure out how to avoid the tackle in games for the 2024 season. But for now, a little complaining should be allowed.
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