Should NFL players wrap their arms on tackles?

Saw a letter in SI where a rugby player says football players should have to wrap their arms on tackles to prevent injury. Just saw Rodney Harrison pummel Vince Young and a Ravens player use his helmet to knock the helmet off a punter in the preseason - while watching the Top 10 plays of the week on ESPN - and can't say I disagree.

Of course, what would ESPN run as highlights?

 

Not sure that's really feasible. As a defensive player, you just do whatever you can to bring the ballcarrier down. If that means clotheslining the guy because you can only reach him with one arm as you're falling down, the way the Giants defensive tackle did to one of the Ravens last night, that's what you do.

They've (rightly) banned leading with your helmet. They've banned horse-collaring. They've banned launching yourself into a defenseless player. If they ban much else, you're going start seeing a lot of yardage records falling.

 

I bet most NFL coaches would be all for it. Ninety percent of missed tackles comes from players trying to make the highlight reel with a big hit. Just wrap up and bring the guy down. And who's to say you can't make the highlight reel tackling the right way. Anyone ever seen highlights of Dick Butkus?

 

And concussion rates falling as well ... .

 

I should amend my earlier statement to note that football players should always wrap up the carrier if they can, but to penalize them if they don't sounds stupid and problematic to me.