Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu has been suspended without pay for one game due to repeated violations of playing rules that protect the safety and health of players, the NFL announced Monday evening.
Luvu was sighted for a hip-drop tackle during Washington’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, his third hip-drop infraction of the season. The Commanders veteran intends to appeal the suspension, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported. If Luvu’s suspension is upheld, he will be docked his $508,333 game check.
"During the first quarter of the Seattle-Washington game, Luvu violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 18 (a)(b), which states that: ‘It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground: (a) grabs the runner with one or 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/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee,’ the league statement read, in part.
The hip drop tackle isn’t dangerous unless you use the leverage to crash into the back of the runner’s legs. But the NFL doesn’t call it like that. Just an opportunity to generate more offense and vilify defensive players.