Did uncalled hip-drop tackle injure Vikings' J.J. McCarthy?

The hip-drop tackle was banned by the NFL in 2024 due to how frequently it led to lower-body injuries in the players being tackled.

According to the league's definition, the violation occurs when a defender "grabs the runner with one or 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/or trapping the runner's leg(s) at or below the knee."

If called, the penalty is 15 yards and an automatic first down.

No flag was thrown in this instance, but a case can be made that the officials missed it. Elliss wrapped up McCarthy at the waist and dropped his lower body to the ground as he did so, which resulted in him rolling up on the Vikings' QB. Whether or not the play fully meets the criteria of a hip-drop tackle is open to interpretation. The team plans to send the clip in to the NFL for review, according to Ben Goessling.

McCarthy remained in the game after the play. Following a delay of game flag, he threw a ball that was too low for an open Justin Jefferson on third down — a throw that may or may not have been impacted by the previous play. On that play, he had his left foot inadvertently stepped on by teammate Will Fries.

After the series, the NBC broadcast showed McCarthy getting his left ankle taped up on the sideline. He played the rest of the way, but O'Connell said McCarthy then came into the facility on Monday morning reporting major soreness in the ankle, which led to further evaluation.

Carson Wentz will now take over as the Vikings' quarterback for at least one week.