The NFL decided on Tuesday that the chop block was now an illegal move in all situations, and the response from the NFL community has been divided. Some players, like Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, are praising the rule because it eliminates ugly plays (like this one from a Lions-Seahawks game in 2015) and cuts down on the risk of a defender getting a gruesome leg or knee injury.
FINALLY! No Chop blocks! @NFL got this 1 right! Now see about getting to the bottom of that mysterious catch rule! lol
— Patrick Peterson /P2 (@P2) March 22, 2016
However, offensive linemen’s jobs just got significantly more difficult. Until now, the chop block was illegal on pass plays, but was okay along the line of scrimmage during running plays. In fact, it helped linemen open up lanes.
Geoff Schwartz, a free agent offensive lineman who played last season for the Giants, went on Twitter to complain about the new rule, saying that legal chop blocks almost never cause injuries and that it was the only method that prevented defensive players from holding them during double teams.
The best way to get a DT to not hold us on double teams, is a chop block. Now there's nothing to stop them. Fun times.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 22, 2016
There are dirty chop blocks. Those have been illegal. But legal ones are vital to the run game. And very rarely does it injure someone.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 22, 2016
DL holding "can" be called but it's not. The umpire moved from behind the DL to behind us. So they can't see it https://t.co/nJmS8QX6wl
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 22, 2016
While Schwartz may be at least partially right, the league’s stated top priority is player safety, and chop blocks were just too dangerous to keep around. It will now be up to officials to help balance out the fact that chop blocks are illegal by being more aware of defensive holding.
