The Chop Block: What It Is And Why It Is Illegal In Football

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There was a time when the chop block was one of the most devastating blocking tactics in football.

Teams throughout football used the chop block as a way to open up holes along the line of scrimmage, which made it easier for ball carriers to run through and gain yardage.

Wide receivers also used it to take out cornerbacks and other defenders from the outside.

But there was a problem...

Chop blocks were causing major injuries throughout football.

These blocks target the lower body of a defender when they're in a very vulnerable position.

So while offenses used the it as a surprise attack to open holes, they were also causing widespread, career-ending injuries.

Because of this, the National Football League first limited the use of these blocks before finally outlawing all instances of the scheme in 2016.

The NCAA banned the chop block in college football 36 years before that, in 1980.

Here's what a chop block is, how it's defined, and how it's penalized in the NFL and almost all levels of football.

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