Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and Texans running back Joe Mixon both picked up injuries in Week 15 games on what appeared to be hip-drop tackles, but neither play resulted in a fine.
The NFL released the list of fines for Week 15 on Saturday and it included two fines for hip-drop tackle violations. Neither Steelers defensive back James Pierre, who tackled Brown, nor Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who took down Mixon, were on the list, however.
When the NFL adopted a rule outlawing hip-drop tackles heading into the season, it identified four components to the play. A violation occurs when a defender “wraps up a ball carrier and rotates or swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto ball carrier’s legs during the tackle.” The lack of a fine suggests that the NFL did not find all four components on either hit.
Mixon played in Saturday’s loss to the Chiefs and Brown is set to play against the Commanders on Sunday.
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun and Broncos safety Brandon Jones were the two players fined for hip-drop tackles in Week 15.
