Joe Mixon calls out NFL refs for not enforcing rules after being injured

Over the offseason, the NFL officially banned the hip-drop tackling technique. This specific tackle has led to quite a bit of injuries in the league, most notably the injury that sidelined Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews last season.

For reference, here's that video:

Here is what constitutes a "Hip-Drop Tackle" as per the official NFL rulebook:

"ARTICLE 18. HIP-DROP TACKLE. It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground:

(a) grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and

(b) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.

Penalty: For a Hip-Drop Tackle: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down."

With the way that this tackle has taken the league by storm and it's directly led to injuries, it makes sense why the NFL banned it so quickly.

But if they're going to ban it, they need to heavily enforce this penalty until the tackle isn't a part of the league anymore.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon agrees.

Joe Mixon calls out NFL refs for not enforcing rules after being injured by "Hip-Drop tackle"

Mixon was recently hurt in the Texans Week 2 game. His injury came on, quite literally the definition, of a hip drop tackle. Take a look:

The defender swings his weight around Mixon and lands directly on his ankle, resulting in the injury. By definition, this should have been called a penalty, yet there was no flag thrown. The Texans would lose their running back for a while and they wouldn't get the 15 yards that they should have been given.

Worse yet, not enforcing the rules just reinforces the idea that the tackle is okay. If the refs won't throw a flag, there's no incentive on players to not avoid attempting the dangerous tackle. It's a recipe for disaster.

Mixon spoke out about it after the game, directly calling the refs and the league out for not enforcing their own rules.

Mixon is obviously frustrated that the NFL and the NFLPA made it clear to the players and officials that this rule should be enforced and it's not. Mixon also recognized that he asked the referee about this penalty after the play, but the official denied that it was the illegal hip drop tackle.

It doesn't matter if you agree that this kind of tackle should be illegal or not. The fact of the matter is that it's illegal and that it should be enforced as such. Referees need to be educated on the rule and it's their responsibility to enforce the new rule. If they don't we could see injuries continue to pile up.