Joe Mixon leaves game with injury following possible missed hip-drop tackle penalty

Texans running back Joe Mixon has left Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears with injury after a potential missed penalty on a hip drop tackle. He looked to be in quite a bit of pain but eventually got up under his own power and was taken to the injury tent.

Unfortunately, Mixon was later seen walking back to the locker room for further evaluation. Now fans will anxiously await another update on his status for the remainder of the game. You can view the play where he was injured below.

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Joe Mixon ankle injury on a hip controversial tackle #NFL pic.twitter.com/wDDSJvsSxL

— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) September 16, 2024

NFL teams voted unanimously this offseason to remove the hip-drop tackle from the game. According to the league’s website, such a play occurs “when a defender wraps up a ball carrier and rotates or swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto ball carrier’s legs during the tackle.”

The hip-drop tackle is supposed to result in a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down. NBC commentator Mike Tirico noted how the league is trying to crack down on these type of plays.

“Those are some of the plays that the league is trying to take a very close look at in terms of a bunch of different indicators that would lead to what is known as a hip-drop tackle that the league is trying to get out of the game,” he said.

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His broadcast partner Cris Collinsworth noted that the takedown from Bears linebacker TJ Edwards seemed to fit the criteria for a hip-drop tackle. He also agreed that the risk for injury was high, as evidenced by Mixon leaving the game.

“You see why because when you wrap up and you lose your weight and swing it back over and it falls on their body and the back of their legs, people have been getting hurt,” he said.

Fortunately, Mixon turned out to be fine after the scary play as he later emerged from the locker room and returned to the field. The Texas currently lead the Bears 19-10 with 10:15 remaining.