The National Football League has been making plenty of adjustments to the rulebook to ensure player safety. However, banning low blocks in not something the league is ready to do, according to FOXsports.com’s Alex Marvez.
NFL competition committee won’t back ban on low blocks for 2014
Despite causing injuries, low blocks are not going to be taken out of the game soon.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Already, 2013 has seen some serious injuries happen as a result of players going low. One example from last week was Seattle Seahawks guard J.R. Sweezy taking out San Francisco 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams on a low block. As a result, Williams is out for the season with a broken ankle.
NFL competition committee vice president Rich McKay has said that while the league is aware of the concerns, low blocking is important to the running game and can’t be eliminated. Per Marvez’s article:
“We brought in offensive line coaches, defensive line coaches, defensive linemen and linebacker coaches this year to the competition committee to talk about cut blocking, that very play (involving Williams) and those types of plays,” McKay said while attending a Wednesday safety meeting at NFL Headquarters in New York City. “We really came out recommending no change.
“Do I think you’ll go back and talk about it again? You will. We’ve talked about it numerous times and made a lot of changes in close-line play over the years … It doesn’t mean there won’t be more.”
Recent rule changes to increase safety include banning helmet-to-helmet hits on quarterbacks and defenseless receivers, running backs using the crown of their helmet, going below the knee on a quarterback, and others.
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