The NFL has levied substantial fines against four players accused of executing the now-prohibited hip-drop tackle during Week 2 games.

During Week 2, Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley, and Los Angeles Rams defensive end Desjuan Johnson were each fined for deploying hip-drop tackles, despite the absence of on-field penalties at the time of the incidents.

Bronx Post gathered that Edwards, Bolton, and Mosley faced fines of $16,883 each, while Johnson was fined $5,191.

The most scrutinized play involved T.J. Edwards during the Chicago Bears’ clash with the Houston Texans. In the third quarter, Edwards tackled running back Joe Mixon, who subsequently struggled with an ankle injury. Despite Mixon’s brief return to the game, he managed only seven additional snaps and was later ruled out of the Texans’ subsequent game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Also Read: Shedeur Sanders’ electrifying escape sparks Buffaloes’ comeback against Baylor

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed his views on the play, stating, “[The tackle] definitely in my mind, is considered the hip-drop.”

Ryans elaborated on the risks associated with the move, emphasizing the high injury potential: “When the defender unweights himself and then he puts all of his weight on the runner’s legs, you see why they want to get the hip-drop tackle out of the game.”

Mixon echoed these concerns, urging the NFL to uphold the ban on hip-drop tackles, which was instituted at the Annual League Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason,” he declared on social media. “Time to put your money where your mouth is.”

The rule, enacted in March, dictates that any player engaging in a hip-drop tackle—defined as a maneuver where a player “grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms” and “unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee”—will incur a 15-yard penalty and a fine.

The rule’s introduction has sparked widespread dissent among NFL defensive players.

Former player T.J. Ward took to social media, expressing frustration: “Attention all defensive players. When out there on the field. Try your best not to harm the offensive players. Even if you have to put their well-being above your own. These rules are a joke.”

Similarly, Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland sarcastically remarked, “Breaking news: Tackles banned,” while Rams linebacker Terrell Burgess questioned the practicality of the rule: “How do you ban something that in some cases you can’t control?”