WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The so-called "horse-collar" tackle, which came under heavy scrutiny from the NFL's powerful competition committee after Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams injured four players with the maneuver in 2004, was banned by the league on Tuesday.
Owners voted 27-5 to enact sanctions against the tackle. The dissenting votes were cast by Dallas, San Francisco, Detroit, New England and New Orleans. Players who use the horse-collar tackle will now be penalized 15 yards, and could be fined, as well.
"I really hate the fact that the rule is kind of being named for one player," said Atlanta Falcons team president Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee. "Roy Williams is a good player and, according to the rules that existed (in 2004), he didn't do anything that was illegal. We try not to punish one player, but rather to address the future of that kind of tackle. And, as a committee, we were nervous about it."
Essentially, the horse-collar tackle was one in which a defender grabbed the inside back of a player's shoulder pads and then yanked him down from behind. The competition committee, in reviewing videotapes from last season, concluded the horse-collar tackle resulted in six serious injuries. Williams was the perpetrator in four major incidents, the most notable of which sidelined Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens for the final two games of the regular season and the first two playoff contests.
Williams could not be reached on Tuesday, but last week, in discussing the possible sanctions, termed the rule "crazy."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones voted against the change, saying he was concerned about ambiguities in the new rule. A 15-yard penalty will be called only if the tackle immediately brings the ball carrier down, and only if he's in open field.
"I'd rather it had been a fine and it not gotten to the penalty phase," Jones told The Associated Press.
In other developments at the league meeting, it appeared that the potential sale of the Minnesota Vikings to a group headed by New Jersey real estate magnate Zygmunt Wilf will not be acted upon at this session. The league's finance committee is expected to pass a resolution favoring the sale, but there remains some work to be completed between Wilf and current Minnesota owner Red McCombs before the deal can be consummated.
"I think it's just a matter of timing," said Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. "In any sale of this magnitude, there are a lot of issues to get through, a lot of things for the attorneys to hammer out. I didn't hear anything in the meetings that would lead me to believe that this sale won't be completed."
Wilf was expected to arrive in Washington on Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press. If the sale isn't approved Wednesday, it could be done by electronic vote by the owners at a later date.
"I don't see any roadblocks," Benson said.
I think I remember Sean pulling a few "Roy Williams" last year...
But I guess this is good. While I think football should be a contact sport, and if your on the field, anything goes, that tackle has about a 50% chance of injury.
