Report: NFL rules Roquan Smith injured Chris Godwin with illegal hip-drop tackle

The NFL has reportedly determined that Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith made an illegal hip-drop tackle that caused Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin to suffer a dislocated ankle on Monday night.

Smith violated the rules and is expected to be on the fined players list for Week Seven tomorrow, according to Mark Musk. The Washington Post.

Field officials did not flag Smith for the hip-drop tackle. The NFL Players Association opposed this year's rule change that banned hip-drop tackles because players believed the rule was ill-defined, and supported criticism that players were being penalized for tackles that officials did not flag. .

Smith refused to say He heard that the NFL was fining him, but said he respects Godwin and never wants to see a player get hurt, while also noting that it's hard for a player to know in the fast pace of an NFL game. The tackle he commits is a violation of the new hip-drop tackle ban. Officials are also difficult to know. But the league reviews each play and determines that in this one, Smith broke the rules.