Horse collar

[Kajun Ref N Texas]

Can someone post for me the actual wording of the NFL Horse Collar Tackle rule, or alternatively, post a link to the wording.

Thanks

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by Kajun Ref N Texas

Can someone post for me the actual wording of the NFL Horse Collar Tackle rule, or alternatively, post a link to the wording.

Thanks

This wording is from the NAFL rule book. I'm sure the NFL wording is close if not exact.

d..Grabbing the inside collar of the back of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside
collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling down
the runner. This does not apply to a runner who is in the tackle box or to a

quarterback who is in the pocket.

The Penalty: For fouls in a, b, c, and d: Loss of 15 yards. If any of the above acts is
judged by the official(s) to be flagrant, the offender may be disqualified as long as

the entire action is observed by the official(s).

[Kajun Ref N Texas]

Originally Posted by Theisey

This wording is from the NAFL rule book. I'm sure the NFL wording is close if not exact.

d..Grabbing the inside collar of the back of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside
collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling down
the runner. This does not apply to a runner who is in the tackle box or to a

quarterback who is in the pocket.

The Penalty: For fouls in a, b, c, and d: Loss of 15 yards. If any of the above acts is
judged by the official(s) to be flagrant, the offender may be disqualified as long as

the entire action is observed by the official(s).

Thank you.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Theisey

This wording is from the NAFL rule book. I'm sure the NFL wording is close if not exact.

d..Grabbing the inside collar of the back of the shoulder pads or jersey, or the inside
collar of the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, and immediately pulling down
the runner. This does not apply to a runner who is in the tackle box or to a

quarterback who is in the pocket.

The Penalty: For fouls in a, b, c, and d: Loss of 15 yards. If any of the above acts is
judged by the official(s) to be flagrant, the offender may be disqualified as long as

the entire action is observed by the official(s).

Oh! My answer to Juggling Referree was based on the idea that it was a neck hold by the arm, not a mere shirt collar. Why do they call it a "horse collar", then? They should just call it "collaring" somebody. An actual horse collar is a thick thing that more or less parallels the horse's clavicle; I was envisioning a tackler's forearm and inside of the elbow in that position -- like a half Nelson, but not necessarily from over the back.

Why is tackling by the shirt collar or shoulder harness even illegal in NFL & NAFL rules? It doesn't seem to endanger the neck anywhere near as much as actually holding the neck or clotheslining would.

Robert

[golfnref]

It's not about the neck, Robert, It's about the legs.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by golfnref

It's not about the neck, Robert, It's about the legs.

Wasn't it a horse collar tackle that ended the career of Bo Jackson?

[golfnref]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Wasn't it a horse collar tackle that ended the career of Bo Jackson?

I think you are correct. I seem to recall he developed avascular necrosis in the hip from the awkard way he was pulled down by a horse collar tackle.
Robert will probably recall better than I.

[Forksref]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

Wasn't it a horse collar tackle that ended the career of Bo Jackson?

Bo's football career was ended and he received an artificial hip and continued to play baseball, but that career was ended a season and a half later (He sat out a year and played a year and then retired in the middle of a season.)

Bo was considered by some to be the best multi-sport athlete since Jim Thorpe. I know that Vic Janowicz, Heisman winner from Ohio State (Elyria, Ohio) played in the NFL and for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Some others I can remember off the top of my head were Neon Deon, Dave DeBusschere (White Sox-Knicks), Gene Conley (Celtics-Red Sox?). Jordan tried baseball but didn't make it to the bigs.

Any others at the major league level?

[bossman72]

FWIW, my friend in high school suffered a spiral fracture of his tibia from a horse collar tackle...


Forks, i think Roger Staubach played baseball as well, but i'm not sure

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Any others at the major league level?

Brian Jordan - MLB and NFL

Danny Ainge - NBA and MLB

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Forksref

Bo's football career was ended and he received an artificial hip and continued to play baseball, but that career was ended a season and a half later (He sat out a year and played a year and then retired in the middle of a season.)

Not only do I not understand the biophysics of how a horse collar, as described by NFL & NAFL, hurt his hip, but I also don't get how if it did, it could be any worse than a clothesline, half Nelson, or any other hold directly on the neck.

Bo was considered by some to be the best multi-sport athlete since Jim Thorpe. I know that Vic Janowicz, Heisman winner from Ohio State (Elyria, Ohio) played in the NFL and for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Some others I can remember off the top of my head were Neon Deon, Dave DeBusschere (White Sox-Knicks), Gene Conley (Celtics-Red Sox?). Jordan tried baseball but didn't make it to the bigs.

Any others at the major league level?

Would you count Jim Conacher?

Robert

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

...(snip)

Why is tackling by the shirt collar or shoulder harness even illegal in NFL & NAFL rules? It doesn't seem to endanger the neck anywhere near as much as actually holding the neck or clotheslining would.

Robert

Don't know, why don't you ask the NFL rules people. They just fined this guy big buck$ for his "horse collar" tackle in an NFL game last weekend. This comes after we was already warned for having done it twice this year already.

They (the NFL) apparently are taking this type of tackle very seriously.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Theisey

Don't know, why don't you ask the NFL rules people. They just fined this guy big buck$ for his "horse collar" tackle in an NFL game last weekend. This comes after we was already warned for having done it twice this year already.

They (the NFL) apparently are taking this type of tackle very seriously.

The rule was created because Terrell Owens of the Eagles was "horse collared" by Roy Williams of the Cowboys and Owens was out for the rest of the regular season and did not play until the Super Bowl. Williams had also a year before hurt another player who I do not know by the same tactic. The NFL felt that guys were purposely grabbing that area and started to make this illegal.

Peace