About: Cut blocking

In gridiron football, cut blocking is an offensive line technique that consists of an offensive player knocking a defensive player down by hitting his knees. The technique, which was initially instilled by Bobb McKittrick, the offensive line coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1999, is often criticized as being "dirty." Additionally, it is illegal for an offensive player to "cut" a defensive player already engaged with another offensive player. This is considered a "chop block", not a cut block. In the NCAA, cut blocking is allowed as long as the block is away from the original position of the ball. The Fall Experimental Football League and the NFL banned use of the chop block but the cut block remains a legal block in the NFL.