Rams and Chiefs stars among six players to avoid ‘strike’ for violations thanks to loophole in new rule

The NFL and the NFL Players Association have agreed to a new ‘three-strike’ system aimed at enhancing on-field safety.

A new formula will trigger automatic one-game suspensions for three violations of five specific safety rules across the 2026 season.

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Hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players and blindside blocks will all fall under the remit.

A suspension will only apply if a player commits three violations of the same rule.

In theory, three hip-drop tackles will trigger a ban, but two hip-drop tackles and one horse-collar tackle over the course of the season, won’t.

NFL players to escape punishment for preseason violations

A loophole in the new rule also means a number of stars dinged for the infractions in preseason won’t be caught out to start the new year.

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Per the NFLPA, the new three-strike system doesn’t commence until the 2026 regular season begins.

Players who have been fined for any of the five specific violations won’t carry a strike into games that count from Week 1 onwards.

A handful of stars will benefit from that, including Arizona Cardinals safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, who was fined $7,148 for a hit on a defenseless player in Week 2 of the preseason.

His teammate, safety Wydett Williams, was also fined $4,935 for a hit on a defenseless player in the same game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Beyond the Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Shaka Heyward who was fined $5,972 for a hip-drop tackle in Week 2. He’s currently on his team’s practice squad.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jake Briningstool was also fined $4,972 in the same week for a blindside block.

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Earlier during the exhibition slate, Los Angeles Rams linebacker Darryl Peterson III, who is now on the practice squad, was fined $4,935 in Week 1 for a horse-collar tackle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker David Walker, meanwhile, was fined $6,254 in the preseason opener for a blindside block.

All of these fines have only recently come to light, as the NFL hands down all of the preseason punishments after the slate is over.

But thanks to the loophole, none of the above stars will be on strike two when the regular season begins.

Each player will still be three violations of each specific rule away from a suspension.

Who picked up the biggest preseason fine?

While the biggest fine under the new three-strike system went to Taylor-Demerson, his $7,148 penalty is well short of a couple of NFL colleagues.

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Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Tytus Howard picked up the biggest fine of the preseason, $12,537 for unnecessary roughness in Week 1.

Tennessee Titans defensive end, Femi Oladejo, was also fined over $10,000 for unnecessary roughness a week later.