Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith could be punished as the NFL investigates whether he used a banned hip-drop tackle on Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin.
On Monday Night Football, the Ravens secured a dominant 41-31 win over the Bucs behind Lamar Jackson’s tremendous five touchdowns. However, the game ended on a sour note as Godwin suffered a season-ending dislocated ankle in the final minute.
Godwin’s gruesome injury occurred on a 21-yard catch-and-run as the Bucs chased the game. ESPN did not show a replay of the tackle and injury, with the former Pro Bowler crawling on the field following the hit from Smith before medical personnel put his foot in an air cast once he was loaded onto the cart.
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On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the NFL is now reviewing the play and investigating if Smith’s tackle had all the elements of the hip-drop tackle, which was voted unanimously to be banned at the annual league meeting back in March. If the review finds the tackle violated the amended rule, Smith will be subject to a fine.
Last week, the NFL announced it had reviewed 22 plays as hip-drop tackles. NFL officials previously defined a hip-drop tackle as a defender approaching from behind or the side, wrapping their arms around the player with the ball, rotating or swiveling hips, unweighting themselves, and landing on the opponent’s legs. The definition appears to accurately reflect Smith’s tackle on Godwin, even if the Ravens linebacker did not intend to injure the receiver.
Officials can penalize players during games for fouls, but judging all elements is difficult in real-time and no flags have been thrown this season. Of the 22 plays reviewed, only seven have resulted in fines.
Godwin is now set to undergo surgery on his dislocated ankle this week. The 28-year-old is expected to make a full recovery for the start of the 2025 NFL season, although he will be a free agent by then, with his time in Tampa Bay – where he won a Super Bowl and has been since being selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft – potentially ending on a low.
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Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense lost both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to injury on Monday night (
Getty Images)
Given the Bucs were trailing by 10 with approximately a minute remaining, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has been criticized for leaving his best players in. Bowles addressed the injury and said: “Our prayers go out to him. Chris is a hell of a player and a hell of a human being. Not much you can say.
“You feel bad for him, and unfortunately, they’re not going to cancel the games. We got to step up and move on. But our hearts are heavy.”
Before his injury, Godwin hauled in seven receptions for 65 yards. In seven games this season, the receiver tallied a league-leading 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns while operating alongside Mike Evans – who also exited the game prematurely due to injury – as one of the premier receiver duos in the league.
The banged-up 4-3 Buccaneers are next in action against the 4-3 Atlanta Falcons in a crucial NFC South showdown at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27.
