What is a chop block in the NFL?

A high and low double team in which one offensive player blocks a defender at the thigh or lower while another engages the same defender above the waist.

When did the NFL ban chop blocks?

Owners voted to eliminate all chop blocks on March 22, 2016.

Is a cut block the same as a chop block?

No. A chop block needs a second blocker engaging the same defender high. A low block on a defender nobody else is engaging is not a chop block.

ORIGINOctober 14, 20262 min read

The NFL Banned Every Chop Block In 2016. Before That, Some Were Legal On Running Plays.

A chop block is a high and low double team on one defender. Some were legal in the NFL until owners banned all of them in March 2016.

A chop block is a high and low double team by the offense. One player blocks a defender in the area of the thigh or lower while another engages the same defender above the waist.

What was legal before 2016

01When two offensive players started next to each other on the line of scrimmage, a chop block was legal on running plays
02It was also legal when the blockers lined up more than one position apart and the play flowed toward the block

The ban

On March 22, 2016, at the league meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, NFL owners voted to eliminate the chop block completely, according to Seahawks.com.

What the rulebook says now

All chop blocks are illegal.

Rule 12, Section 2, Article 5 adds that the order of the blocks is irrelevant. It is not a foul if the defender starts the contact, or if the blocker is trying to slip or escape and any contact is incidental. The penalty is 15 yards.

Quick answers

What is a chop block in the NFL?: A high and low double team in which one offensive player blocks a defender at the thigh or lower while another engages the same defender above the waist.
When did the NFL ban chop blocks?: Owners voted to eliminate all chop blocks on March 22, 2016.
What is the penalty for a chop block?: Loss of 15 yards.
Is a cut block the same as a chop block?: No. A chop block needs a second blocker engaging the same defender high. A low block on a defender nobody else is engaging is not a chop block.

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