Spearing (gridiron football)
Illegal tackle in gridiron football / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the action penalized in rugby football, see spear tackle.
In gridiron football, spearing is an illegal tackling technique in which a player makes initial contact with the crown of their helmet by using their body as a spear (head out, arms by their side). An offensive player or a defensive player can be penalized for spear tackling. Spearing from an offensive player will result in a 15-yard penalty, and spearing from a defensive player will also result in an automatic first-down for the offense.