Tackled

Tackled is the past tense and past participle of the verb tackle. It denotes that an action of tackling has occurred, either literally, as when a player hurls themselves against another to stop advancement, or figuratively, as when addressing a problem or task. The core sense involves seizing, restraining, or confronting a target to prevent progress or to gain control.

In sports, tackling is a central skill in many contact codes. In American football, a tackle refers to bringing a ball carrier to the ground to end a play; a tackle may be credited to the defender for statistics, and penalties may apply for dangerous or illegal tackles. In rugby union and rugby league, a tackle is the act of bringing the ball carrier to ground and contesting possession through the ruck or maul. In association football (soccer), a tackle is an attempt to take the ball away from an opponent; tackles must be made in accordance with rules to avoid fouls or cards. Different codes employ various definitions of legal and illegal tackles and emphasize safety.

Metaphorically, tackle is used to mean addressing or dealing with a problem, task, or responsibility: to tackle a problem, to tackle a project, or to tackle a challenge.

Grammatical note: Tackled is the simple past and past participle form. It appears in sentences such as "The runner was tackled at the five-yard line" or "The team tackled the issue."

Etymology: The verb tackle developed from the noun tackle meaning gear or equipment, with the sense of seizing or grappling emerging later.