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Josh Weinfuss
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon shared his displeasure with how he thinks the NFL’s collectively bargained rules prevent defensive players from becoming better tacklers.
With a number of missed tackles playing a factor in Sunday’s 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans, Gannon was asked Wednesday how Arizona practices tackling during the week. He responded that it’s a topic the Cardinals’ coaching staff was discussing this week.
“How the rules are set up, it’s hard to get better as a tackler being in the NFL, I’ll say that,” Gannon said.
While the data on missed tackles hasn’t been perfected, the Cardinals have allowed 40 rushes with at least 5 yards after first contact, the third most in the NFL. Arizona also is ranked 18th in yards allowed after contact per rush this season, according to ESPN Research.
Gannon said the Cardinals practice tackling drills in “some way, shape or form because that’s one of the top skills of any defense player.” However, he added that there’s “no drill you can do that can mimic a game.”
According to the NFL’s 2020 collective bargaining agreement, teams are allowed only 14 padded practices, but 11 of them have to take place during the first 11 weeks of the season. Contact is prohibited during the offseason, which includes OTAs and minicamp.
When asked if he would like to see the rules changed, Gannon said he will not be lobbying for changes.
“The rules are the rules,” he said.
However, the lack of opportunities to tackle in practice limits skill development. Gannon compared the NFL’s rules to the PGA Tour telling Scottie Scheffler he can’t hit a wedge during the offseason.
“It’s set up how it’s set up, that’s fine,” Gannon said. “But to get better at a skill, you have to practice the skill. You practice skill, you can scale it, you can scale the tempo, you can scale how you do it, but to practice a skill, you need to practice the skill.
“And so it’s a conundrum I think all defensive guys face and there’s risk-reward to trying to practice it with it however you set things up. But you definitely have to be a good tackling defense to play good defense.”
Gannon laughed when it was brought up that the lack of opportunities to practice tackling was the product of rule changes. He said it’s a topic that is discussed every year by head coaches and defensive coaches, and impacts personnel decisions for some teams.
“A lot of people think [that if] you can’t practice it you better just acquire people that can tackle because you ain’t going to help them at all,” Gannon said. “That’s a thought process, too. To each their own. But it’s a challenge.”
