Report: NFL will consider banning all low blocks in 2013

Simon Samano, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

In recent years the NFL has gone to extreme measures to protect offensive skill players. The same, however, can't be said for defensive players, and those guys have spoken out about the hypocrisy.

But it looks like maybe -- just maybe -- the NFL is finally ready to look out for them, as well.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported Friday night that the league's competition committee will consider abolishing all blocks below the waist in 2013.

King went on to chime in with his thoughts on the matter in a couple of tweets we find interesting.

"I doubt sincerely it will pass," King tweeted. "Head coaches/offensive coaches will go nuts over it. But I see two specific low blocks to be endangered now."

King continued: "I look for the chop block to be eliminated. And I see downfield low blocks, like the one that injured Eric Berry, to be in trouble too."

The news that this ban is under consideration should please Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews. He went off on Twitter earlier this season when his former USC teammate and Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing suffered a season-ending knee injury from a legal chop block that certainly looked dirty.

There's no question this would severely limit offenses in how they block defenders and, as King noted, it'll be interesting to see what kind of fight coaches put up about this in the offseason.