Lowering the Head and Using the Helmet as a Weapon

[ParanoidAndroid]

First, I'm not blaming Tee Higgins. Not in the slightest. There's no way he intended what ended up happening to Damar. So let's get that out of the way.

On the Hamlin tackle, Higgins lowers his head but instead of avoiding a hard tackle in that manner, he launched into Hamlin.

The head may not be lowered in order to use the helmet as a weapon. That is the rule for players on both sides of the LOS.

Offensive players lower their head to avoid hard tackles but sometimes they use the head to punish tacklers.

Will the NFL now begin enforcing this on offensive players?

If they are serious about player safety, I think they should for obvious cases like this one where they are not attempting to avoid contact.

[TacklingDummy]

I've watched it many times. I'm not sure if it's Higgins helmet or shoulder that hits Hamlin in the chest.

Offensive players shouldn't be able to lower their heads. Unless it's a QB sneak.

[TacklingDummy]

Here's 2 dirty plays by the Bengals last night. Especially the one on Josh.
The other one reminds me of Gronk/Tre.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Bengals were playing dirty last night. These 2 videos are proof of that and thinking about it today pisses me off. Just praying that Damar Hamlin has a quick recovery, Taron Johnson too �� <a href="https://t.co/Pd2RKQf3JF">pic.twitter.com/Pd2RKQf3JF</a></p>&mdash; Crazy Bills Fan (@CrazyBillsFan) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrazyBillsFan/status/1610270010521391105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Cali512]

Just because you say "im not blaming Higgins" doesnt mean your not blaming higgins

[Skooby]

Yeah the Bengals played dirty games, Buffalo just doesn’t do that.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Just because you say "im not blaming Higgins" doesnt mean your not blaming higgins
Set to ignore. I don't need this nonsense.

[Cali512]

Set to ignore. I don't need this nonsense.


Your obviously not saying he intentionally gave him a heart attack. Your implying higgins somehow did something wrong

Higgins lowers his head but instead of avoiding a hard tackle in that manner, he launched into Hamlin.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Please don't quote him. I ain't reading it.

[ParanoidAndroid]

So, back to the topic.

Should the NFL start directing referees to enforce the rule on offensive players?

[Cali512]

So, back to the topic.

Should the NFL start directing referees to enforce the rule on offensive players?



Hamlin tackled high, if higgins did what you wanted him to do, they would've literally ran into eachother face first


Your trying to hide behind this because you know your wrong and its stupid

This happens every play, every moment, nearly every play

Your wrong

[TacklingDummy]

Should the NFL start directing referees to enforce the rule on offensive players?

Here's another thing to think about. Why do offensive players get away with stiff arm's to the facemask?

[Forward_Lateral]

1000% wrong.

Higgins didn’t do a single thing wrong.

[Goobylal]

Yes they should and likely will enforce it. It's called against defenders.

[YardRat]

Yeah the Bengals played dirty games, Buffalo just doesn’t do that.

Diggs did the same thing on the Bills first play of the game.

There should have been penalties called on Hurst for the TJohnson hit and Hutchinson(?) for rolling into Josh's lower legs. Both were cheap and dirty.

If a player lowers their head and initiates contact with the crown of the helmet, yes it should be called. Regardless of whether or not Higgins did it maybe this incident will encourage the league to take a closer look and be more vigilant when the penalty is committed by a ball carrier.

[Ingtar33]

see this is why i'm not on twitter.

the first video is called "finishing a block" the second video is altered, the speed changed, to make it appear as if the defender stopped his roll and then launched himself into ja.

watch the play in real speed, there is no stop then launch. he's protecting his broken right hand, by trying not to fall onto it.

[kgun12]

In the past when an offensive player did this it was called initiating the blow instead of receiving the blow. T. Higgins did nothing wrong.

[northernbillfan]

see this is why i'm not on twitter.

the first video is called "finishing a block" the second video is altered, the speed changed, to make it appear as if the defender stopped his roll and then launched himself into ja.

watch the play in real speed, there is no stop then launch. he's protecting his broken right hand, by trying not to fall onto it.

Wise words as always brother. Hope all is well.

[kgun12]

see this is why i'm not on twitter.

the first video is called "finishing a block" the second video is altered, the speed changed, to make it appear as if the defender stopped his roll and then launched himself into ja.

watch the play in real speed, there is no stop then launch. he's protecting his broken right hand, by trying not to fall onto it.

Me either, this is the only social media site I’m on. Never been on any other platform.

[ParanoidAndroid]

This isn't meant to be isolated to this incident.

Defensive players get hit, too, but it's never called.

We can debate whether or not the Higgins hit should be part of it. In my opinion, when he changes direction, lowers his head and strikes the defender simultaneously with the shoulder and helmet in order to gain an extra yard, that should be a penalty because it fits with the rule that's already in the books and it's unnecessarily dangerous.
If the NFL is serious about safety, they should discourage this practice.

[Discotrish]

So, back to the topic.

Should the NFL start directing referees to enforce the rule on offensive players?

Yes they should call it the Tee Higgins Rule because it has nothing to do with Tee Higgins.

[ParanoidAndroid]

1000% wrong.

Higgins didn’t do a single thing wrong.

That's fine in regards to Higgins. It looks like simultaneous contact with helmet and shoulder and it didn't look truly intentional. But it's debatable and it requires discussion.
This post is meaningless unless you can explain why offensive players should be able to lower the helmet and initiate contact.

The rule pertains to them, too. It isn't enforced and we all probably know why.

The lowering of the head to avoid contact is one thing. Lowering the head to strike a would be tackler in order to gain yards should be discouraged, especially in the open field where guys are running full speed.

[kgun12]

First, I'm not blaming Tee Higgins. Not in the slightest. There's no way he intended what ended up happening to Damar. So let's get that out of the way.

On the Hamlin tackle, Higgins lowers his head but instead of avoiding a hard tackle in that manner, he launched into Hamlin.

The head may not be lowered in order to use the helmet as a weapon. That is the rule for players on both sides of the LOS.

Offensive players lower their head to avoid hard tackles but sometimes they use the head to punish tacklers.

Will the NFL now begin enforcing this on offensive players?

If they are serious about player safety, I think they should for obvious cases like this one where they are not attempting to avoid contact.

Here’s the NFL rule for targeting. From everything I’ve seen in the hit of Hamlin, Higgins hits him in the chest. It may be debatable if it was his helmet or shoulder, I think it was more shoulder. In either case, the hit would have been legal under the present targeting rule.

Here’s the rule:

Targeting is when a player lowers their head and makes helmet-to-helmet contact with another player or contact with the neck area during a football game. Targeting can occur anytime, whether between a defensive player and the ball carrier or two players during a kickoff.

There was no helmet to helmet contact.

[ParanoidAndroid]

That's the targeting rule.

That is in addition to the "lowering the head" rule. In that case, any contact made using the head is a foul. It does not need to be contact to the other players head. I have only seen it called on defensive players making a tackle. It used to be called spearing.

The emphasis on head injuries is good, but it clearly needs to go a bit farther because concussions are still commonplace due to the frequency with which players lower their heads to make contact when they have the ball in their hands.
Most of the time it's to avoid contact.

Sometimes it's to initiate contact and drive a would be tackler back for extra yards.

That needs to be looked at, hard.

[ParanoidAndroid]

If it is confirmed that Hamlin suffered from commotio cordis, you can bet their will be some kind of enforcement change.

[kgun12]

That's the targeting rule.

That is in addition to the "lowering the head" rule. In that case, any contact made using the head is a foul. It does not need to be contact to the other players head. I have only seen it called on defensive players making a tackle. It used to be called spearing.

The emphasis on head injuries is good, but it clearly needs to go a bit farther because concussions are still commonplace due to the frequency with which players lower their heads to make contact when they have the ball in their hands.
Most of the time it's to avoid contact.

Sometimes it's to initiate contact and drive a would be tackler back for extra yards.

That needs to be looked at, hard.

You’re right it’s a different rule. So reading the rule on lowering your head, I think it was more Higgins’s shoulder so it still wouldn’t apply.

This was a football player, nothing illegal and no intent to hurt Hamlin. Just an extremely unfortunate incident. It’s time to focus all our energy in his recovery!

[Forward_Lateral]

That's fine in regards to Higgins. It looks like simultaneous contact with helmet and shoulder and it didn't look truly intentional. But it's debatable and it requires discussion.
This post is meaningless unless you can explain why offensive players should be able to lower the helmet and initiate contact.

The rule pertains to them, too. It isn't enforced and we all probably know why.

The lowering of the head to avoid contact is one thing. Lowering the head to strike a would be tackler in order to gain yards should be discouraged, especially in the open field where guys are running full speed.
It's not debatable at all.

He didn't lower his head to initiate contact.

Mentioning Higgins in this discussion was completely irresponsible and unnecessary.

[Typ0]

Nobody even knows if the hit is what caused the cardiac arrest!

[Forward_Lateral]

Nobody even knows if the hit is what caused the cardiac arrest!
Exactly. It's purely speculative at this point.

[Goobylal]

Nobody even knows if the hit is what caused the cardiac arrest!

What other explanation is there?

[Discotrish]

If it is confirmed that Hamlin suffered from commotio cordis, you can bet their will be some kind of enforcement change.

I appreciate your medical speculation.

There is a lot of Commotio Sense missing from the analysis.

[POTLAND PSILBYLO]

I appreciate your medical speculation.

There is a lot of Commotio Sense missing from the analysis.

No there isn't.

[kgun12]

I appreciate your medical speculation.

There is a lot of Commotio Sense missing from the analysis.

How about it was a terrible, horrible, horrific and tragic situation that happened during a violent game. Trying to put blame on anyone or anyone is crazy.

[Mr. Pink]

The overall idea behind this thread does bear some discussion. However, it is called on offensive players albeit very rarely. Just like when a running back reaches out to stiff arm and ends up with a handful of facemask.

The problem is the use of Higgins here to initiate that discussion. Higgins did absolutely nothing wrong on the play.

[Cali512]

"It looks like simultaneous contact with helmet and shoulder and it didn't look truly intentional. But it's debatable and it requires discussion."


How are you going to claim that your not blaming higgins then writing **** like this? You acted like me pointing it out was just something to dismiss and that i was completely out of line, then you double down on what you obviously meant

Once again, if higgins doesnt lower his shoulder, hes smacking hamlin in the face with his facemask

If anything they need to teach defenders to not tackle high, because hamlin did use bad form on the tackle. But that tackle happens thousands of times a season and never ends up like this situation

The only thing that should be implemented based on this scenario is more effort into teaching defenders to lower their shoulder into the offense players chest/waist. Once again, this happens thousands of times and isnt even a real issue, it was a freak accident. But if your going to try and use it as a teaching moment, it should be for defenders not offensive players

[ParanoidAndroid]

Because the game rules encourage offensive players to not take the same intentions to contact as offensive players due to the way the rule is enforced.

It's not Tee Higgins fault at all. He was playing the way the game is currently played.

I think it changes a little.

And his hit maybe isn't one that needs to be flagged, but it would get looked at if they do start enforcing it.

[ParanoidAndroid]

I appreciate your medical speculation.

There is a lot of Commotio Sense missing from the analysis.

Do you have to flame in every thread? Is that why you exist on this platform?

[Forward_Lateral]

It's SUPPOSED to be a penalty. Ball carriers aren't supposed to be allowed to lower their head to initiate contact.

It's rarely called. It happens probably 30 times a game and is called maybe a couple of times a season, if that.

The entire thing needs to be revamped. The problem is, how do you determine if a guy is just lowering his head to gain yards, or if he's doing it to ram it into a defender? Officials don't need any more "judgement" calls. They have enough of those that they constantly get wrong.

[Goobylal]

It's SUPPOSED to be a penalty. Ball carriers aren't supposed to be allowed to lower their head to initiate contact.

It's rarely called. It happens probably 30 times a game and is called maybe a couple of times a season, if that.

The entire thing needs to be revamped. The problem is, how do you determine if a guy is just lowering his head to gain yards, or if he's doing it to ram it into a defender? Officials don't need any more "judgement" calls. They have enough of those that they constantly get wrong.

It shouldn't matter. You do it, you get penalized. No need to determine intent.

[Forward_Lateral]

It shouldn't matter. You do it, you get penalized. No need to determine intent.

What if you are diving for yardage? You have to dive feet first?

What if you are at the goal line or short yardage and you are trying to get low so guys can't tackle you?

There are way too many variable to that rule that COULD be called a penalty, but shouldn't.

[Goobylal]

What if you are diving for yardage? You have to dive feet first?

What if you are at the goal line or short yardage and you are trying to get low so guys can't tackle you?

There are way too many variable to that rule that COULD be called a penalty, but shouldn't.

Too bad. This is all being done in the name of player safety. I mean, if a defender is trying to make a tackle and accidentally hits the defender in the helmet, when not intending to, it's still a penalty.

[Forward_Lateral]

Too bad. This is all being done in the name of player safety. I mean, if a defender is trying to make a tackle and accidentally hits the defender in the helmet, when not intending to, it's still a penalty.
It's not.

It's a penalty if the runner is deemed "defenseless", or if the tackler is deemed to "target" or launch themselves into the defender's head/neck area. There's contact to the head on almost every single NFL play. It's not a penalty unless it's deemed egregious. Unless it's the QB, then you can't touch his head at all while he's in the pocket.

[ParanoidAndroid]

What if you are diving for yardage? You have to dive feet first?

What if you are at the goal line or short yardage and you are trying to get low so guys can't tackle you?

There are way too many variable to that rule that COULD be called a penalty, but shouldn't.
I think it's pretty clear when a ball carrier is going low to avoid a hit.

Getting low as a RB between the tackles is not something that would be called because it's nothing but bodies and there's no reasonable way to avoid contact. They don't even call it on defenders in that situation.

If he's diving for extra yards, that's fine, unless he's in the open field, directly battering a defender helmet first to get those yards.

It could be viewed much like a charge in basketball where a defender has established themselves to make a tackle before the player launches helmet first. If the defender is late, then it would not be considered intentional use of the helmet and no penalty would be called.

While it is frustrating to watch a defender dive at a ball carrier's hips to make a tackle just before the ball carrier lowers his head to hip level and a helmet to helmet hit gets called, it's the right thing to do because the NFL is discouraging head-first tackles.

They should be discouraging the same thing for ball carriers at least to some degree.

If a ball carrier lowers his head and launches directly at a defender trying to power through them in the open field, it should be a penalty if the helmet makes contact first because he is using the helmet as a weapon.

[Mike13]

Just because you say "im not blaming Higgins" doesnt mean your not blaming higgins


1000% wrong.

Higgins didn’t do a single thing wrong.

This. Its completely disgusting to argue that he did.


If it is confirmed that Hamlin suffered from commotio cordis, you can bet their will be some kind of enforcement change.

Commotio Cordis can only occur at a very very specific time in the cardiac cycle. Outside of every player wearing a heart monitor, how can you prevent that?

[kgun12]

Good post Mike13, the way some people are reacting, the only way to answer your question is to take all the pads off and play flag football.
This is a violent game and people will get hurt some seriously. Players know this, understand this and are willing to take that risk. Money is part of it, but listening to player after player talk this week on all the shows what stood out to me was what all the players said over and over again as to why the played the game. Everyone of them talked about the possibility of injury, the life long struggle with pain especially as the get old, he’ll Herm Edwards almost started crying when he was talking about how much he hurts now. But the one thing they all said was the reason they played football was they love the game, playing in the NFL was a dream since they started youth football, but it was the loved football.

[ParanoidAndroid]

This. Its completely disgusting to argue that he did.



Commotio Cordis can only occur at a very very specific time in the cardiac cycle. Outside of every player wearing a heart monitor, how can you prevent that?
I don't think you can. It's clear that in all the years of NFL football, it has never happened before.

But I think that ball carriers should be discouraged from using the helmet at least more that they are now.

That's something that will be talked about in the aftermath of this.

I think it's something that needs attention.

[kgun12]

Yes, let’s add another judgement call for the refs. We all complain now about bad calls or calls that aren’t made or are made at the end of a game that changes the outcome. Like you said Paranoid, in all the years it’s the first time it’s happened and it’s also debatable if it was more shoulder than head.
There are officiating crews that make watching a game difficult now.
The NFL usually makes rule changes after a collection of injuries from the same situation, i. e. Kickoffs, not having a defender over the long snapper. Not one extremely isolated incident.

[ParanoidAndroid]

If we can have fewer injuries, then who cares about fans complaining about the refs?

Besides that, it wouldn't be new. The rule is already on the books.

Defenders have had to change the way they play but ball carriers have not.

I'm overreacting to this particular incident. That is fair and I concede that.

But, again, if the league is serious about player safety they should enforce the rule on both sides of the ball.

It's time ball carriers were asked to do at least some of the same.

[Bill Cody]

Yes, let’s add another judgement call for the refs. We all complain now about bad calls or calls that aren’t made or are made at the end of a game that changes the outcome. Like you said Paranoid, in all the years it’s the first time it’s happened and it’s also debatable if it was more shoulder than head.
There are officiating crews that make watching a game difficult now.
The NFL usually makes rule changes after a collection of injuries from the same situation, i. e. Kickoffs, not having a defender over the long snapper. Not one extremely isolated incident.

Leaving the Demar/Higgins play entirely out of it, which I think is necessary because it's a bad example of the point Android is trying to make on a couple of levels, the reason this should be looked at broadly is because the league needs to do more to reduce head trauma. Period full stop. Steps have been taken but they are not sufficient.

People underestimate the scope of the CTE issue for players. And before anyone starts with how much players get paid or it's a risk they assume, where the game is right now is unacceptable and beyond that unsustainable. If nothing more is done there will be no NFL in 20 years, at least none as we know it. Much much more is going to be learned about hundreds of players with CTE in the years ahead. To ignore it is insanity. It is more complicated to enforce the leading with the head rule for offensive players I think and maybe that's part of why it isn't called. But they need to think this through carefully.

[kgun12]

Not for nothing if you watch the KC game and are watching the Jags/Titans game you will notice on almost every play the offensive player lowers his head and shoulder sometimes even lounging when contact is close except if they’re going out of bounds. Under the proposed rule in this thread there would be a flag on every play.
I understand the intent it’s just impractical, players have to protect themselves.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Not for nothing if you watch the KC game and are watching the Jags/Titans game you will notice on almost every play the offensive player lowers his head and shoulder sometimes even lounging when contact is close except if they’re going out of bounds. Under the proposed rule in this thread there would be a flag on every play.
I understand the intent it’s just impractical, players have to protect themselves.
This post only makes sense if you don't read what I wrote about players getting low to avoid contact vs. lowering the head to forcibly strike a defender with the crown of the helmet to gain yards.

I'm not sure why watching the KC game makes any difference in this discussion whatsoever, as if no one has watched a game before.


It would be a fairly infrequent call but as it stands now, it's practically never called. Pink says he's seen it called, but I don't recall seeing it myself.

[kgun12]

This post only makes sense if you don't read what I wrote about players getting low to avoid contact vs. lowering the head to forcibly strike a defender with the crown of the helmet to gain yards.

I'm not sure why watching the KC game makes any difference in this discussion whatsoever, as if no one has watched a game before.


It would be a fairly infrequent call but as it stands now, it's practically never called. Pink says he's seen it called, but I don't recall seeing it myself.

I bring up these two game because they are right after the hit that has prompted this thread and the offensive players are right back at initiating the same hits. Which BTW caused this type of injury once in a 103 years of the NFL and college before that.

Anyway Go Bills!

[Bill Cody]

I bring up these two game because they are right after the hit that has prompted this thread and the offensive players are right back at initiating the same hits. Which BTW caused this type of injury once in a 103 years of the NFL and college before that.

Anyway Go Bills!

This was a freak thing with Demar, no question. Concussions are not. That's the elephant in the room.