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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Texans running back Joe Mixon called out the NFL on social media for not enforcing its own rules after injuring his ankle on what he believed to be an illegal hip-drop tackle during Houston’s 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night.
With 11:57 left in the third quarter, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed a pass to Mixon, who ran up the sideline before he was brought down by Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards using what appeared to be the now-banned swivel hip-drop tackle.
The refs did not penalize Edwards as Mixon got up limping and hobbled to the sideline before entering the medical blue tent. He went to the locker room for further treatment on the ankle before reentering the game with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.
Mixon took only seven snaps following his return and had only one carry for 1 yard before being tackled again by Edwards. He finished the night with 9 carries for 25 yards.
Mixon did not speak to reporters after the game but let his feelings be known in back-to-back posts on X.
“The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason,” Mixon wrote shortly after the game ended. “Time to put your money where your mouth is.”
The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money where your mouth is.
— ⚡️Primetime!!!⚡️ (@Joe_MainMixon) September 16, 2024
In a follow-up post, Mixon said that when he got up, he asked the official, “Where is the flag? That was a hip tackle,” to which the ref replied, “No it wasn’t.”
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said that the play in which Mixon injured his ankle “didn’t look good” from his view but that he would have to see the film to determine whether it was a hip-drop tackle.
“Joe got rolled up. The guy’s weight definitely came down on his ankle,” Ryans said. “We’ll evaluate Joe throughout the week. Hopefully he’s OK.”
The league in March approved a rule proposal to ban the swivel hip-drop tackle, a rugby tackling style that has caused mainly lower leg injuries in recent years. According to NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller, last year there were 230 plays in which the hip drop was used to bring down a ball carrier, resulting in 15 players missing time.
The violation would have resulted in a 15-yard penalty had it been called on Edwards’ tackle of Mixon.
In another game Sunday, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase got into a heated exchange with a game official in Kansas City after he was taken down by what Chase believed was a hip-drop tackle that went uncalled.
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