NFL launches ‘3 strikes’ suspension system for dangerous tackles

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 4: Frankie Luvu #4 of the Washington Commanders looks on against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 4, 2026 in Philadelphia, United States. | Getty Images On Wednesday, the NFL and the NFL Players Association [NFLPA] announced that the sides have reached an agreement on an updated “on-field accountability system,” which was approved by a vote of the board of Player Representatives on Tuesday, and communicated to the players on Thursday. The stated goal of these changes is to, according to a joint statement from the league and the NFLPA, “make the game safer by focusing discipline on the techniques most likely to result in player injury rather than players who make isolated mistakes during competition.” As a result, five penalties will see a greater emphasis this season: Hip drop tackles Horse collar tackles Launching Hits on defenseless players Blindside blocks Under this new agreement, players who commit three such penalties during a season will be suspended for one game. Players who commit just one penalty will receive half of their fine back from the league at the end of the season. Beyond these five major penalties, player who are fined for just one foul in another player safety category, such as roughing the passer, will receive their full fine back from the league at the end of the season, provided they do not receive a second fine for that penalty. As reported by Tom Pelissero of The Ringer, the two sides also agreed to an adjustment of the “repeat offender” system. Player fine records will be adjusted at the end of each season, rather than after every two seasons, to exit repeat offender status. If a player has one such penalty toward a suspension at the end of a season, he will drop to zero for the following year. If a player has two such penalties, he will drop to one. Players who are suspended under this system will enter the next season with two penalties on their record, and will be suspended for a third such penalty. However, if the player in this case completes a season without another major penalty, their record will drop to zero. Players who are find for a second offense in any category must, according to Pelissero’s reporting, meet with the NFL, along with their position coach and coordinator. They do not get any money back at the end of the season, but those two fouls will drop to one at the end of the year, and if that player is not fined th enext season, then their penalty record drops to zero. Players still have the right to appeal any fines, and all players begin this season with a clean slate. The NFL and the NFLPA agreed to a one-year trial of this new system, with the hope that it will be implemented on a permanent basis in the future. It is worth noting that under this system, only two players would have been given a suspension in the past two years. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair would have been suspended in 2024 for a fight in Week 2, an out-of-bounds hit on Tony Pollard in Week 12, and a hit to the head of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence the following week — although he was suspended by the league for the hit on the Jacksonville quarterback, with Jon Runyan of the NFL noting his multiple offenses for personal fouls. This system would have seen Frankie Luvu suspended last year, as he was flagged for hip-drop tackles in Week 4, Week 8, and Week 9. Luvu was initially suspended for one game as a result of the repeated infractions, but that suspension was overturned, and changed to a $100,000 fine, by NFL hearing officer Derrick Brooks. One potential by-product of this agreement? More of those penalties might be called early in the season, as the heightened emphasis on these penalties will gather additional scrutiny by game officials. It is also worth noting that one of the new rules being implemented this season is the ability for video officials to review both “flagrant football acts and non-football acts,” even if they are not called on the field. So, if the officiating team misses a personal foul or other flagrant act, the review team can flag that infraction and potentially eject the player.

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