Jenna Laine, ESPN Employees Author
TAMPA, Fla. — Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith has been fined after the NFL dominated Friday that he used a hip-drop sort out on Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin on Monday evening, a supply informed ESPN.
Smith’s sort out on Godwin with 1:04 remaining in regulation resulted within the receiver struggling a dislocated left ankle. Smith, who might be seen on the play pulling on Godwin’s left leg, will get a league-mandated nice of $16,833, a supply informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Smith can attraction the ruling.
The supply additionally mentioned Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is not going to be disciplined for utilizing Zyn — a smoke-free nicotine pouch — on the sideline throughout the recreation, which tv cameras picked up.
The NFL prohibits using tobacco-related merchandise on the sector and through interviews. The supply mentioned Mayfield would obtain a letter reminding him that he shouldn’t be utilizing the product on the sidelines, and he might be topic to a nice if it occurs once more.
The NFL defines a hip-drop sort out happening when a defender “grabs the runner with each palms or wraps the runner with each arms,” and “unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or decrease physique, touchdown on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or under the knee.”
The rulebook additionally states any play utilizing this system can be assessed a 15-yard penalty with the opposing staff granted an computerized first down, however that did not occur within the Ravens’ 41-31 victory.
In March, NFL golf equipment voted unanimously to ban hip-drop tackles. The league reviewed 20,000 tackles from 2022-2023 and decided that hip-drop tackles trigger decrease extremity accidents at a fee 20 occasions larger than different tackles.
Godwin, who leads the NFL with 50 catches by means of the primary seven weeks of the common season, underwent surgical procedure Wednesday to restore the harm and isn’t anticipated to return this yr.
“We do not at all times get to know ‘why,’ however that not often issues anyway,” Godwin mentioned in an Instagram submit Friday morning — his first feedback because the harm — although he didn’t make point out of the sort out. “Adversity reveals our true character and I look ahead to the chance to show mine all through this course of.”
Smith informed reporters Thursday that he was praying for Godwin.
“At the beginning, simply ship prayers and a speedy restoration out to Chris,” Smith mentioned. “I’ve bought plenty of respect for him as a participant, what he is achieved all through this league, and the little I’ve seen of him he looks like a very good dude, and what I’ve heard, household man.
“You by no means wish to see anyone go down with any type of harm, however we play a really bodily recreation and it calls for quite a bit. Bullets are flying fairly quick, however I by no means go into any recreation that means to injure any participant. I would like each participant to return residence protected and sound to their household, perhaps a bit sore, however I positively need you to get again residence protected and sound.”
