Eagles’ safety hit with fine on what has become an unpopular rule among defensive players

Add Eagles safety Reed Blankenship to the list of NFL players who have been fined for the controversial hip-drop tackle this season.

Blankenship was hit with a $10,250 fine for a tackle on Chicago rookie running back Kyle Monangai during the Eagles’ 24-15 loss to the Bears on Black Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. He was not flagged on the play, which has usually been the case since the NFL competition committee made the hip-drop tackle illegal ahead of the 2024 season.

A season ago, the NFL fined 27 players for hip-drop tackles but the illegal play was only flagged once. That flag went against Carolina Panthers linebacker Jacoby Windmon, but it was later ruled by the league that he had not brought down Arizona running back James Conner in illegal fashion during a Week 16 game.