The NFL is expected to eliminate all blindside blocks on all plays, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said Friday.
Current rules prohibit only blindside blocks to the head and neck area.
But the NFL coaches’ subcommittee recommended the change.
“To see that on the coaches’ agenda be at the top of their list, to eliminate the blindside block, is good for the game of football,” Vincent said. “As a former player, it was good to see that. I was taught that. I did that. And to hear the coaches say, ‘I want that out’ was good.
“It was clear that the elimination of the blindside block is on its way across the board. That forceable contact back toward your line of scrimmage will be kind of the language. . . .We need that out of the game.”
The NFL’s health and safety department found many injuries on punts were a result of blindside blocks, and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer shared a video that showed the need to ban all blindside blocks, not just those on punt plays.
“Most of us who played celebrated de-cleating, blow-up [blocks],” Vincent said. “That’s how you were taught. Lights out. Now to say ‘unacceptable’ when you hear that vernacular, that’s where we need to be.”
