Before Matt Eberflus became the head coach of the Bears, he worked as a defensive assistant for a long time, including a four-year role as the Colts’ defensive coordinator.
Despite objections from the NFLPA, the NFL approved a new rule on Monday to penalize hip-drop tackles. As someone with a background in defense, Eberflus was asked about this change on Tuesday. He mentioned that he supports it because it should help protect offensive players.
However, he also mentioned that this rule won’t change much in how he teaches tackling. “We’ve been using something called the hamstring tackle since ’95 [at the University of Toledo],” Eberflus said. “To me, it’s quite simple.
We’ve never taught that type of tackle. We focus on using the top of our pads. While I had to make some adjustments when they changed the rules regarding head contact, our tackling technique has remained the same since ’95.
“I believe it’s a good rule because I don’t want offensive players to get injured due to that technique. It’s a positive step to ensure we eliminate that tackle from the game.”
The NFL has highlighted that the injury rate from hip-drop tackles is significantly higher compared to other plays. While there may be a learning curve for players, the intention behind the rule change is to protect more offensive players from injuries.
