Horse Collar Tackle Penalty in Football

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What is a Horse Collar Tackle Penalty?

The Horse Collar Tackle penalty is called when the defense grabs the back collar or inside the collar/shoulder pad area and jerks/tackles the ball carrier.

Number of Yards

There is a 15 yard penalty in both the NFL and College Football and an automatic first down is awarded.

The Signal

When signaling the Horse Collar Tackle penalty the referee will make a fist with one hand and raise it toward their collar, making a pulling motion.