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The NFL has received scathing criticism for its new rule regarding quarterback sacks. The league has now seemingly suffered its first casualty of the rule after Miami Dolphins defensive end William Hayes tore his ACL while trying to avoid landing on top of Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
Even Carr admittedly wishes things would have worked out better under the circumstances. He would have preferred for Hayes to just land on him, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“I wish the guy would have just landed on me instead of tearing his ACL,” Carr said. “For him to tear his ACL, nobody wants that. I don’t want that.”
Carr's comments are a nice sentiment. However, it does not begin to replace a lost season for Hayes. The veteran said after he was ruled out for the year that the injury occurred while he was trying to avoid Carr in order to prevent getting called for a penalty. Unfortunately, it came at the cost of his own health.
It is no secret that the defensive players have taken issue with the new rule. However, even quarterbacks have begun to speak up about its impossible criteria. Needless to say, it is never a good look for the NFL when they are being criticized by the very players they are trying to protect.
Regardless, the league will need to provide much more clarity on what qualifies as a clean hit in order to prevent any further frustration and injuries for all players involved.
