# In American football, can you tackle someone by their hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [December 22, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999 "2023-12-22T18:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/1 "2023-12-22T18:28:08Z")
I suspect you cannot, but what is the penalty? mmm ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/2 "2023-12-22T18:32:02Z")
My understanding is that, at least in the NFL, it’s not illegal in and of itself. This started to come up 10 to 15 years ago, when more players started having braids and other long hair styles that extended well past their helmets. It’s illegal to grab and pull someone down by their facemask, or by the back of their uniform/pads (the “horsecollar tackle”), but those rules specifically don’t include hair. > **[Tackling a player by the hair is legal, not a horse-collar tackle](https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/tackling-a-player-by-the-hair-is-legal-not-a-horse-collar-tackle)** > > On Sunday Washington running back Rob Kelley ran for 45 yards before he was caught from behind by Philadelphia defensive back Rodney McLeod, who grabbed Kelley's long dreadlocks and yanked him down by the hair. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/3 "2023-12-22T18:58:37Z")
Hair is in play, players who wear long hair do so at their own peril. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/4 "2023-12-22T19:16:10Z")
Have any of you ever seen a player yanked down by his hair? I have not. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/5 "2023-12-22T19:18:02Z")
“You see a player on the other team with long hair hanging out his helmet you grab it when you tackle him.” – Coach Kimbrough my 7th grade football coach. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/6 "2023-12-22T19:19:15Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Have any of you ever seen a player yanked down by his hair? > > I have not. I think it’s considered bad form, but I’ve heard announces state it’s legal. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/7 "2023-12-22T19:20:55Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Have any of you ever seen a player yanked down by his hair? Many times. > **[NFL "Hair Tackles" || HD](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK__Cbff2zk%2F)** > > Shoutout to SeatGeek for sponsoring the video use code DINGPRODUCTIONS to get $20 off your first order: https://sg.app.link/teamseatgeekBeat in my Seatgeek I... ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/8 "2023-12-22T19:30:06Z")
It is considered part of the uniform and is called the “[Ricky Williams rule](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/sports/football/nfl-locs-braids-black-hair.html)”. > In 2003, after the former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was pulled down by his dreadlocks in a game, the N.F.L. ruled that hair was part of a player’s uniform and therefore legal to grab in pursuit of a tackle. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/9 "2023-12-22T19:32:08Z")
You may notice the wearing of hair long enough to tackle by is much more common among defensive players. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/10 "2023-12-22T19:33:15Z")
Yes, you can, though it would likely trigger an altercation. I’ve seen it done several times. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/11 "2023-12-22T19:50:17Z")
The hair is part of the uniform, therefore is fair game. I always thought it was reckless of players to keep their hair long that way. It’s also part of the player’s body, so perfectly fair just as much as tackling someone by their toes, wrist, fingers, etc. Fun fact, the referees/officials are considered fair game as well (part of the field), in the sense that if you hit a ref but it was incidental to the play (not intentional, like if you run over a ref who was immediately in your way en route to the end zone or tackling someone). ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/12 "2023-12-22T20:05:52Z")
Thank you. I knew the league came out and explicitly clarified this a couple decades ago but I was wracking my brain trying to remember who the player was that made it a central issue. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/13 "2023-12-22T21:12:06Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > > Have any of you ever seen a player yanked down by his hair? > > Many times. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK\_\_Cbff2zk/](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK__Cbff2zk/) Lots of flags in those clips. Maybe these were before the rules were clarified? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/14 "2023-12-22T21:31:52Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Lots of flags in those clips. Maybe these were before the rules were clarified? Mostly they were bad calls by the refs. The flags on nearly all those plays were for horse collar tackles, which admitedly looks similar. But the slow-mo replays show that they were hair, and that they should haven’t been flagged. On review, some of them were reversed. I think all of those clips were after 2003 when the Ricky Williams rule clarified that it was legal. The oldest one was 2006. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/15 "2023-12-22T21:46:43Z")
I’m waiting for teams to start putting player’s names below the numbers instead of above, so you can still see long-haired players’ names. I’ve seen it in women’s sports but never in men’s. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/16 "2023-12-22T22:36:15Z")
You mean the hair on their head, right? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/17 "2023-12-22T23:09:03Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Have any of you ever seen a player yanked down by his hair? > > I have not. Repeatedly. I watched Marshawn Lynch as a Seahawk for years and they’d tackle Beast Mode anyway they could, including by his hair. Here’s one case where they ripped out a dred, no penalty or controversy. > **[Marshawn Lynch's dreadlock gets ripped out, he casually picks it up](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/marshawn-lynchs-dreadlock-gets-ripped-out-he-casually-picks-it-up/amp/)** > > Marshawn Lynch has one less dreadlock than he woke up with on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/18 "2023-12-27T02:16:15Z")
It really doesn’t make sense that horse collar tackles are illegal and hair tackles aren’t. Both will result in the player being pulled down downward and potentially folding a leg underneath. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/19 "2023-12-27T02:32:45Z")
I think that the reason why hair tackles are legal is just because it’s the player’s own choice to have hair longer than their helmet. If you don’t want to be tackled by your hair, it’s really easy to prevent that. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999/20 "2023-12-27T09:42:31Z")
Alternatively, it would also give an unfair advantage to people who choose to grow long hair. If you can be penalized by grabbing a guy’s hair as you’re trying to tackle them, then you need to be extra careful when someone has long hair so that you don’t grab it by accident. That would be ridiculous. Every receiver, tight end, and running back would grow their hair out as much as possible to create a kind of “cloak of invincibility”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-american-football-can-you-tackle-someone-by-their-hair/994999.md?page=2)