Hair tackling?

**Ray1936** · October-03-10, 04:05 PM

This should go on the sports forum, but no one goes there any more, so let me ask my question here [[sorry, Lowell).

Watching some NFL players, black or white alike, the long locks of hair flowing from under the helmets got me to wondering.

Is it legal to tackle a guy by grabbing his hair and yanking?

**yaktown** · October-03-10, 06:15 PM

While the NFL rulebook doesn't say so explicitly, it would be a penalty to tackle a player by his hair. It could fall under the rule of unsportsmanlike conduct or unnecessary roughness, both of which are 15 yard penalties. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often, even inadvertently. A similar foul is the horse-collar tackle which involves grabbing a player byt he collar and bringing him down.

**Mikeg** · December-09-10, 01:14 PM

....it would be a penalty to tackle a player by his hair.

Not so. As we were reminded during the Lion's game on Nov. 21st, there is no rule preventing an NFL player from tackling the ball-carrier by grabbing their exposed hair. NFL rules state that it is legal to tackle a ball-carrier by grabbing his jersey and it is generally considered that any hair which covers the jersey is also a part of the jersey ["Ricky Rule"]. To consider it otherwise would give a longer haired player an advantage by presenting a smaller amount of jersey for an opponent to grab for a legal tackle.

**Gannon** · December-09-10, 01:30 PM

LOL, this sounds like a new market for someone to make a fast-moving practice dummy with hair as the target handle for pull-down!

Of course, then someone could create tear-away weaves...

**johnsmith** · December-09-10, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Mikeg

Not so. As we were reminded during the Lion's game on Thanksgiving Day, there is no rule preventing an NFL player from tackling the ball-carrier by grabbing their exposed hair. NFL rules state that it is legal to tackle a ball-carrier by grabbing his jersey and it is generally considered that any hair which covers the jersey is also a part of the jersey ["Ricky Rule"]. To consider it otherwise would give a longer haired player an advantage by presenting a smaller amount of jersey for an opponent to grab for a legal tackle.

That's what I've heard, that it is legal. Just think if it wasn't, a lot of football players would look like Cousin It from the Addam's family and have a huge advantage!