The NFL is weighing a stricter rule that could result in extensive enforcement of the penalty. A new proposal put forth by the Competition Committee seeks to redefine the crackback block rule to incorporate players in-motion, which directly could impact defensive players.
NFL will consider a stricter rule against crackback blocks. https://t.co/Bu4Nq1q3yi
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 21, 2024
The proposal sets a broader ground for what constitutes a crackback block, including players who are in motion and move beyond the center to strike a defender in his lower legs.
The specific wording of the rule change indicates that it will become a penalty if the offensive player was in a “backfield position and in motion when the ball was snapped, and the block happened beyond the position from which the ball was snapped”, with contact made “at or below the knee.”
This proposed change is crucial since defensive players frequently regard these low blocks as one of the dirtiest plays in football.
Such blocks can result in severe injuries, and defensive players have frequently expressed that player safety rules seem predominantly devised for protecting offensive skilled positions.
This proposed rule is a progressive step toward safeguarding defensive players as well. The expansion of the rules on player safety lays equal emphasis on defensive player protection, making the game fairer for all position holders.
This proposal, like all on-field rule changes, necessitates a minimum of 24 out of the 32 teams to vote in favor for it to become law.
Based on the current climate concerning player safety and fairness in the game, it would not be surprising should the rule win over those votes easily.
