CLEVELAND, Ohio — For decades, football coaches at every level have preached the same gospel to their quarterbacks: when you run, slide feet-first to protect yourself.
It’s become such an ingrained piece of football wisdom that it’s rarely questioned.
But Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is challenging that conventional thinking with a bold claim that might make quarterback coaches around the league uncomfortable.
Lawrence made the surprising assertion that sliding head-first isn’t just occasionally necessary—it might actually be safer than the traditional feet-first technique.
“I think head first honestly is has is safer, you know, based on my past experience and then just seeing around the league,” Lawrence said. “Guys get hit like that a lot, trying to trying to slide and protect themselves end up making it worse.”
His reasoning deserves serious consideration. While the instinct to protect the head and upper body by sliding feet-first makes intuitive sense, Lawrence points out a crucial dynamic that occurs on the field.
When a quarterback begins a feet-first slide, defenders who have already committed to the tackle often can’t adjust in time, leading to awkward and sometimes dangerous collisions with a quarterback in a vulnerable position.
By contrast, a head-first dive allows the quarterback to maintain control of the entry point and can actually reduce the target area for defenders.
It’s counterintuitive, but Lawrence’s perspective is informed by both personal experience and observation of injuries around the league.
There’s also a strategic element to his thinking. Lawrence elaborated on the tactical advantages.
“And I think also too, you can get a few more yards like so depending on the situation,” Lawrence said. “If it’s kind of like dead to rights, there’s nothing there. I’ll go feet first and just go down if when there’s still space.”
This measured approach reveals Lawrence isn’t recklessly diving headlong into contact at every opportunity. He’s making calculated decisions based on the specific scenario unfolding around him.
When there’s no advantage to be gained and defenders have him surrounded, he’ll take the conventional feet-first slide.
But when crucial yardage is at stake—especially in game-defining moments—he opts for the head-first approach.
Lawrence is particularly deliberate about when to employ this technique.
“Trying to get a first down, especially on third down in the open field and trying to get as much as I can,” Lawrence said. “A lot of times we’ll go head first. I feel like it avoids more hits honestly.”
This situational awareness demonstrates why Lawrence’s approach isn’t simply about physical toughness or recklessness—it’s about intelligent risk calculation.
The extra yard or two gained on a third-down scramble could be the difference between a drive continuing or ending. For a competitor like Lawrence, that calculation often tilts toward doing whatever necessary to move the chains.
What makes Lawrence’s perspective particularly notable is that it comes from a franchise quarterback—a player whose health is essential to his team’s success.
The Jaguars have invested heavily in Lawrence as their long-term solution, yet he’s making an assessment that prioritizes competitive advantage alongside personal safety, rather than simply minimizing all risk.
This philosophy reflects Lawrence’s overall approach to the game: calculated aggression. He’s willing to take controlled risks when the potential reward justifies it.
That mindset extends beyond just his sliding technique to his entire playing style, where he balances protection of the football with the occasional high-risk, high-reward throw when the moment demands it.