Horsecollar Tackle

[JasonTX]

This was one of the "unnanounced" editorial changes.

ARTICLE 15. All players are prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar
of the shoulder pads or jersey, the nameplate area, or the inside collar of the
side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and abruptly pulling the ball carrier down.
This does not apply to a ball carrier, including a potential passer, who is inside
the tackle box (Rule 2-34). Note that the tackle box disintegrates when the ball
leaves it.

AR 9-1-15- I:  As ball carrier A20 races down field near the sideline, defender B56 grabs
him from behind by the back of the jersey at the collar or by the collar of
his shoulder pad. B56 continues with this contact for several yards but A20
does not go to the ground until tackled by another defender. RULING:
Legal play. B56 did not foul because he did not abruptly pull A20 down.

So based upon that let me re-write the AR and see how you guys interpret it

As ball carrier A20 races down field near the sideline, defender B56 grabs
him from behind by the back of the jersey at the collar or by the collar of
his shoulder pad. B56 continues with this contact for several yards and then abruptly pulls A20 down.

Ruling?

[dammitbobby]

awesome sauce - this change came about because of an email I sent to Steve Shaw regarding this. 

http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=15921.msg161731#msg161731

[Clear Lake ref]

Still doesn’t clarify if he has to go to ground. See my example in the thread you linked.

[JasonTX]

Still doesn’t clarify if he has to go to ground. See my example in the thread you linked.

The rule doesn't state that the ball carry has to be taken to the ground.  There was a bulletin play somewhere that clarified that.  It explained that the buckling of the knees can still be a foul even if the runner wasn't tackled all the way to the ground.

[ElvisLives]

This was one of the "unnanounced" editorial changes.

ARTICLE 15. All players are prohibited from grabbing the inside back collar
of the shoulder pads or jersey, the nameplate area, or the inside collar of the
side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and abruptly pulling the ball carrier down.
This does not apply to a ball carrier, including a potential passer, who is inside
the tackle box (Rule 2-34). Note that the tackle box disintegrates when the ball
leaves it.

AR 9-1-15- I:  As ball carrier A20 races down field near the sideline, defender B56 grabs
him from behind by the back of the jersey at the collar or by the collar of
his shoulder pad. B56 continues with this contact for several yards but A20
does not go to the ground until tackled by another defender. RULING:
Legal play. B56 did not foul because he did not abruptly pull A20 down.

So based upon that let me re-write the AR and see how you guys interpret it

As ball carrier A20 races down field near the sideline, defender B56 grabs
him from behind by the back of the jersey at the collar or by the collar of
his shoulder pad. B56 continues with this contact for several yards and then abruptly pulls A20 down.

Ruling?

This would certainly seem to qualify as an illegal horsecollar tackle, since the change is from "immediately" to "abruptly." An abrupt pull-down, whether immediately after grabbing the collar/nameplate or with a delay, is the action they are looking to stop. All the way to the ground? No. Not necessarily. The pull-down that causes knees to buckle is the action that creates the foul.

I'll be honest, though. I still haven't figured out how causing a BC's knees to buckle causes injury. IMHO, which is irrelevant, grabbing and pulling them to the ground, causing their shoulders or head to slam into the ground is where the injury would happen. Knees buckling? They just fall down. How is that any more dangerous than being tackled hard from the front? Oh, well. What do I know? We'll do what the powers that be tell us.

[CalhounLJ]

This would certainly seem to qualify as an illegal horsecollar tackle, since the change is from "immediately" to "abruptly." An abrupt pull-down, whether immediately after grabbing the collar/nameplate or with a delay, is the action they are looking to stop. All the way to the ground? No. Not necessarily. The pull-down that causes knees to buckle is the action that creates the foul.

I'll be honest, though. I still haven't figured out how causing a BC's knees to buckle causes injury. IMHO, which is irrelevant, grabbing and pulling them to the ground, causing their shoulders or head to slam into the ground is where the injury would happen. Knees buckling? They just fall down. How is that any more dangerous than being tackled hard from the front? Oh, well. What do I know? We'll do what the powers that be tell us.

If I remember correctly, the horsecollar foul came to be because of leg/knee injuries, not shoulders or head injuries. An NFL player's femur was broken due to what is now known as a horsecollar tackle.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/the_roy_williams_terrell_owens_horse_collar_turns_10/s1_11027_17939336?

[bossman72]

If I remember correctly, the horsecollar foul came to be because of leg/knee injuries, not shoulders or head injuries. An NFL player's femur was broken due to what is now known as a horsecollar tackle.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/the_roy_williams_terrell_owens_horse_collar_turns_10/s1_11027_17939336?

Yep, Roy Williams from Dallas used to horse collar everyone and it ended up causing a lot of injuries one year.  One of my friends in high school got a spiral fracture our senior year when he was horse collar tackled on a long pass.  It can easily break your leg if you fall the wrong way.