The Chicago Bears defense has been stout this season, playing as — or at least near — a top-10 unit in the NFL across the first five weeks.
However, some players around the league don’t like the way Chicago has occasionally gone about its business on that side of the football. Linebacker and defensive captain T.J. Edwards came under fire again this week from Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon, who bemoaned a hip-drop tackle in Week 2 that resulted in an ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since.
“I was the No. 1 leader in rushing, I was stopped because of that weak *** hip-drop tackle,” Mixon told media members on Thursday, October 10, per DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. “I can’t do nothing about that. It’s frustrating, it is what it is. I want to be out there more than anybody.”
The officials in that contest did not penalize Edwards for his tackle method, but the NFL did level a fine of $16,883 against the Bears linebacker upon further review following the game’s conclusion — a 19-13 win for the Texans.
Joe Mixon Called Out NFL for Failing to Fine T.J. Edwards to Greater Extent
GettyFormer Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon joined the Houston Texans for the 2024 campaign.
Mixon argued Thursday that the league’s fine against Edwards fell short of being appropriately punitive.
“For an illegal hip-drop tackle [players are] getting fined $16,000 when it’s supposed to be an emphasis, it’s supposed to be taken out of the game,” Mixon said. “So, obviously, the priorities ain’t right with what’s going on. It is frustrating to see, but it is what it is. If we’re going to talk about playing the game the right way, we got to have integrity for the game when it comes to it.”
Mixon tallied 159 rushing yards and a TD in Week 1 and had 9 carries for 25 yards against Chicago before the ankle injury sidelined him. He also produced 6 catches for 44 yards across his two appearances before going down.
The Texans’ 28-year-old running back, who arrived in Houston this season following a successful seven-year run with the Cincinnati Bengals, added Thursday that he is unsure whether he will be back on the field against the New England Patriots in Week 6.
T.J. Edwards Doesn’t Have History as Dirty Player in NFL
GettyLinebacker T.J. Edwards of the Chicago Bears.
Edwards, who is also 28 years old and is a six-year veteran of the NFL, joined the Bears ahead of the 2023 campaign after spending the first four seasons of his professional tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is currently playing in the second season of a three-year, $19.5 million deal in Chicago.
The linebacker doesn’t have a longstanding reputation as a dirty player, and while the league deemed that he was guilty of executing a hip-drop tackle against Mixon, the NFL has never fined or penalized that specific play in league history until this season. As such, it could take some time for players to create new tackling habits and remove it from their repertoires.
Edwards has started all five games for the Bears this season after starting all 17 in 2023. He has recorded 40 tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble this year.
