A league spokesman has said that the NFL Competition Committee will take a look at the hit that may have ended Miami Dolphins TE Dustin Keller's career according to Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. The hit has drawn a lot of scrutiny from both players and the media but NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino has made it clear that Texans rookie safety D.J. Swearinger did not break any rules when he hit Keller’s knee. “It is a legal hit,†Blandino said. “It’s an unfortunate result, something that the Competition Committee will continue to look at, as we do all injuries during the season. But it is a legal hit.†Blandino said that Keller was a defenseless player on the play in question, but defenseless players are protected only from hits to the head or neck, and from hits with the top of the opponent’s helmet. Defenseless players are not protected from shots to the knees. “Keller is considered a defenseless player — he’s a receiver attempting to catch the pass,†Blandino said. “And he’s protected in two ways. He’s protected from hits to the head or neck area, and he’s protected from hits to the body with the crown or forehead/hairline parts of the helmet. So those rules do not prohibit low contact.†The Competition Committee may now look to add rules prohibiting low contact. Source: The Redzone
