MARCH 31: Although McDermott’s team has increasingly turned to using a version of this play, the competition committee member confirmed Monday (via 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks) he would support banning it. This sets up a rather significant vote Tuesday.
MARCH 30: In 2022, the Eagles introduced the “tush push,” an extremely effective quarterback sneak with players pushing Jalen Hurts from behind to secure first downs in short-yardage situations. Three years later, the NFL is considering banning the play based on a proposal submitted by the Packers.
The proposed rule change would “prohibit an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap,” per ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler. Green Bay’s proposal is expected to be “hotly contested” during league meetings in Florida this week and will likely be voted on by team owners Tuesday. This comes shortly after The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicated some momentum has emerged for banning the play.
There is support for the rule change on the NFL’s competition committee, comprised of 10 coaches and executives. Among them are Rams head coach Sean McVay and Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who had an “animated side conversation” with Eagles executives Howie Roseman and Jon Ferrari on Sunday afternoon, according to Kahler. That was after a football operations meeting produced a “heated” discussion when the proposed language was introduced.
The competition committee is “split” on the tush push ban, per Mark Maske of The Washington Post. The same is true of the league’s 32-team voting body, 24 of whom would need to vote in favor of the ban for it to be implemented.
Resistance from within the committee is likely led by McDermott, whose Bills have adopted the play from the Eagles. Combined, they have run the play more times than the other 30 teams combined over the last three years, leading to accusations that the Packers’ proposal is unfairly targeting the two teams.
Falcons CEO Rich McKay, who chairs the competition committee, acknowledged that belief on Sunday.
“The thing that nobody likes about the discussion we are having…is that the rule is directed towards two teams,” said McKay (via Kahler). “I don’t think any of us like the fact that there are teams associated with this rule proposal.”
The Packers listed player safety and pace of play as the reason for their proposal, though little evidence exists (or can exist) of either claim. Other teams believe that Green Bay wants to ban the play because they can neither replicate it on offense nor stop it on defense.
The play was only run 101 times in 2024, 0.28% of the league’s total plays, according to Kahler, so there is not enough data to support player safety concerns. The same goes for pace of play, though the Commanders’ repeated penalties in January’s NFC championship game could be a blueprint for how teams may approach defending the tush push in the future.
Rather than give up an easy touchdown at the goal line, Washington tried to jump Philadelphia’s snaps, leading to four penalties in the span of six plays. Each flag only advanced the ball half the distance to the end zone, and the Eagles couldn’t score. Eventually, referee Shawn Hochuli stepped in and warned the Commanders that another penalty would result in the officials awarding a touchdown to the Eagles, relying on a little-used rule prohibiting a “palpably unfair act.”
The NFL has a multitude of reasons to want to avoid a recurrence of the Commanders’ strategy. Other teams may try to force referees into the difficult position of uniformly enforcing an obscure rule to award a touchdown to a team that never actually reached the end zone. That would complicate league efforts to keep officiating consistent and take considerable time and excitement out of the game.
There are other arguments to ban the tush push. One is consistency with league rules that prohibit pushing in other situations.
“We don’t allow the linebackers to push the defensive linemen on extra points and we’re just trying to be consistent,” said Stephen Jones, the co-owner of the Cowboys and a member of the competition committee, before offering a counterargument against concerns about targeting the Bills and the Eagles. “These quarterbacks, I’m sure they would be wildly successful whether you’re pushed or not,” continued Jones (via Kahler). “I’m sure [Hurts will] make first downs at a high rate, whether someone’s pushing him or not, because he’s an inordinately strong special athlete.”
While a tush push ban would have a disproportionate effect on the Eagles and the Bills, both teams would still retain the core advantage that makes them so successful: extremely powerful quarterbacks. Kahler also described more general criticism about the tush push for the nature of the play: “Coaches, executives and players have argued it’s not a football play, with some comparing it to a rugby play.”
If the rule is approved, the NFL will then have to figure out how to enforce it. That uncertainty is another reason that teams may hesitate to vote for the Packers’ proposal. The Eagles believe they have some support to stop the rule change given that three of their former assistant coaches were hired as head coaches in the last two years.
“We’ll see how it goes,” said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “All I will say about it is (Jonathan) Gannon, (Shane) Steichen and (Kellen) Moore better vote for it. They are in the position right now because of that play. So all three, I better have those three votes right there and the Eagles’ vote. I at least know we have four.”
Based on comments by Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles, Texans GM Nick Caserio, and Ravens HC John Harbaugh, those three teams are unlikely to support the tush push ban either, according to Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press. Bowles and Caserio believe that teams should have to figure out how to stop the play. Harbaugh offered a different take on Stephen Jones’ consistency argument, saying that officiating is already inconsistent in regards to pushing.
If Gannon’s Cardinals, Steichen’s Colts, and Moore’s Saints also vote no, only two more teams would be needed to shoot down the Packers’ proposal. That would preserve the tush push for the 2025 season, though teams could certainly renew efforts to ban it next offseason.
You can’t ban defense from doing it citing player safety and let offense do it cause high scoring is profitable
You either have to ban both or allow both and let players know the risks of doing such
Different plays. Defense can’t push on an extra point or field goal. Other than that, they can (think gang tackles). It shouldn’t be banned just because 30/32 teams can’t and don’t do it.
If they do ban it, then they need to ban lead blocks on offense since only a handful of teams have good enough fullbacks to effectively make them. It just doesn’t make sense.
They actually can’t do that during gang tackles. If a pile up ensues defensive players cannot come in and push other defensive players to prevent the offensive players progress. They can’t push piles by pushing other players.
It’s also against the rules for say a linebacker to come in and push a DT or DE through the oline to create an opening.
So saying “it’s not the same” isn’t true at all.,defensive players are prohibited from pushing each other in the back multiple ways besides extra point and field goal.
You are 100% wrong. The pushing another defensive player rule is regulated to field goal and extra point formations.
There is absolutely nothing in the rule book preventing a defensive player from pushing another defensive player making a tackle (like I mentioned “Gang tackles”). Which is the same as an offensive player pushing another offensive player carrying the ball.
I encourage you to look it up. If you were correct, most tackles involving 2 defensive players would draw penalties and they don’t.
Gang tackling is legal cause people are simultaneously trying to tackle the player in question. Jumping on a pile is not even remotely the same as coming up behind a line backer shoving him in the back to push him forward and thus push the running back or receiver backwards that’s illegal cause it’s a player safety issue.
What is also not legal is for a defender to push another defender in the back to prevent someone from gaining yards. If it was legal the counter to the tush push would be guys to line up behind each other and give guys shoves to overwhelm the offensive line thus creating openings to get to the player being pushed forward. You don’t see that cause it’s illegal to do that.
It’s pretty easy to stop a tush push if you put a 300 pound lineman behind a 330 pound lineman let them shove forward to push the offensive line backwards into the QB or whoever is being tush pushed. Do that in both a gaps and you’ll successfully stop the tush push. But again illegal to do such a thing.
Show me the rules preventing everything your saying.
The proof you need is literally in the example you’re choosing. You brought up gang tackling. Notice it’s not called gang pushing. Wonder why. Total mystery. Or maybe cause multiple people attempting to tackle someone is allowed but multiple people pushing someone in the back to stop forward progress is not allowed.
A push and a tackle are the same! Foward progress stops means I’m pushing you back and the play is dead. Most times its 2 or 3 defenders pushing the runner back. Just how much contact do you think the 3rd defender would have with the runner. Tackles push you back. You must a Dem. Claiming things without proof. Back your claims with the rules. Don’t just assume.
A push and tackle are not the same
The tush push isn’t an attempt to tackle the guy with the ball. Do you know how the tush push works. Also it’s not called the tush tackle.
If a push and a tackle were the same thing you could called it the tush push or the tush tackle. Wonder why they don’t call it the tush tackle. Total mystery. Or maybe cause a push and tackle aren’t the same thing.
Push: move forward by using force to pass people or cause them to move aside.
Tackle: an act of seizing and stopping a player in possession of the ball by knocking them to the ground.
So they don’t count it as a tackle when they don’t go to the ground and just stop it as a forward progress stop? Geez you’re such a clown.
When they tackle most times they’re pushing the runner back as they tackle. How long have you watched football? You’re literally clueless. Sometimes it’s fine to admit you’re wrong, clown.
The defender pushing his own teammate in the back doesn’t get credited with half a tackle oh “wise one”
You only get credit for a tackle if you’re involved in the tackling process. Not when you push your own teammates in the back.
That’s not the argument. We’re discussing if pushing a fellow defender is illegal and it’s not unless it’s a XP/FG play. You’re deviating from the discussion because you’re empty on proof. Clown.
You brought up being credited with a tackle not me. So now you say it’s pointless cause your example only strengthened my argument lmao
1 2 3 wrong
Defenders can’t shove each other in the back. Hate to break it to you but they can’t. It’s been a player safety issue for a long time which is why people are confused by the tush push is allowed.
If defenders were allowed to push each other you’d see guys at lb running up shoving their DTs in the back to create 2-1 situation and win the line of scrimmage. You don’t cause it’s illegal
You’d also see guys coming up pushing their teammates in the back during a tackle to stop forward progress of a running back or receiver. You don’t see that cause it’s illegal. You can go to tackle the running back or receiver as well but you can’t deliberately come up shove your own defender in the back to stop. progress of a runner. If it was legal you’d see it happen more to prevent guys from gaining extra yards but you don’t wonder why
Don’t need to be a rocket scientist or brain surgeon to know it’s banned cause if it wasn’t there’d be a lot more of it going on cause it’d create advantages for the defense.
First off, you don’t see 2-1 situations like you mentioned because there’s almost always more blockers than rushers therefore a waste of scheme. LBs don’t get involved in that because the have to be free to make plays/tackles.
Secondly, yes you do see defenders pushing the pile back, what are you talking about? It’s a tackle/it’s a push. It’s the same thing! You just don’t know what you’re talking about. Goal line situations, you see this all the time.
Third, show the rules in the rule book to back up you stance. You assuming something makes what again?
“Waste of scheme”
Yeah nick Bolton coming up shoving Chris jones in the back forcing him past a center or guard towards the QB faster is a “waste of a scheme”. Not like adding boltons momentum forward to jones momentum forward would overwhelm anyone trying to block him moving backwards already.
Yeah totally.
It was also a “waste of a scheme” as to why rams line backers never shoved Aaron Donald in the back all those years to help him gain momentum and push past guards and centers easier and faster as well towards the QB. Cause yeah a LB running forward to push Aaron Donald pushing forward against linemen moving backwards in pass protection definitely wouldn’t cause linemen to be overwhelmed or anything.
You so smart. Why would anyone want to get their best pass rusher to the QB quicker up the middle to disrupt the pocket make the QB move and throw timing of the play off Makes 0 sense to hurry a QB.
Seriously. That’s your argument? Sit this one out. YouTube university. Go learn physics.
Yet you haven’t mentioned any rule proving you’re right. It took you long enough to go watch some YouTube videos.
You can look up the rule yourself if you eager to
I’m just flabbergasted you think a push and tackle are the same thing
Rules won’t mean much if you don’t know what words mean
Wow I’m having a discussion with a legit idiotic Dem.
Easy as 1 2 3- “I have no proof and can’t prove it, so you go prove my point.” You’re a clown.
Says the single digit IQ holder who thinks pushing and tackling are the same. Lmao wtf does politics have to do with this? Jesus are you that insecure about yourself or something?
I’m a “Dem” cause………I know the difference between tackling and pushing?
You’re essentially proving my point. Push your DT to combat the tush push. But it’s illegal right? Yet you just said the Rams did it, right? Pick a side clown.
No the chiefs nor rams did that lmao. That’s the point genius. It’s illegal for defenders to shove push each other in the back to gain momentum.
If it was legal you’d see nick Bolton running up every play
Pushing Chris jones in the back so he wins his battle at line of scrimmage gets through the blocking faster and gets towards the QB faster. The reason it’s not allowed is because it’s a player safety issue.
You ever see a RB or TE or other OL player shove a dude in the back to help him from getting beat? No cause it’s illegal. If it was legal you’d see tight ends and running backs go up and push guys on the oline all the time to maintain blocks for the QBs on drop backs and shotgun formations.
But you don’t. Cause it’s not legal.
You have no actual factual proof or rule to support your claims. Congratulations, you’re a waste of time.
Still can’t believe you don’t know tackling and pushing aren’t the same thing and brought politics into a discussion unnecessarily. Congrats youre that guy
Running backs push their fullbacks on lead plays all the time. What have you been watching, the UFL?
Plus do you understand the concept of blocking a pass rusher on pass plays? There’s a reason the linemen’s first step is backwards. You have to be able to move side to side not hold your block straight ahead, thus the reason that wouldn’t work on your genius reply.
Didn’t disprove a single thing I said. You don’t stop a bull rush by moving side to side. Please don’t make me educate you more. Cause you clearly weren’t capable of engaging in this discussion in the first place.
Yet you haven’t provided any proof or rule to support your position. Instead you want me to prove you’re right. Makes perfect sense.
There is a defensive surge on the the tush push with defensive players doing exactly the same thing the eagles offensive players are doing.The eagles have the largest offensive line in the national football League, a quarterback who squats 600 pounds,a running back the same. Call it a scrum , call it force meeting force. The fact is, the birds are biggest, baddest, in the NFL and proved it ,in the super bowl. You are dismissed.
Wusses
All I saw I on this headline was Split tush, push. Guess that says something about where my heads at….
Ban it, it’s stupid and not football.
Sure looks like football. Looks like old school play. Guess it’s to rough for a soft video gamer like you.
Spoken like a true fan of a team that has a QB unable to drive for that short gain.
Oh no Green Bay can’t beat them on the field so….change the rules to help them. BS. What next make rules so Detroit quits kicking their butt too. Heaven forbid your coach figures out how to win without help.
“The competition committee is “split” on the tush push ban”
If it were only the Packers making this proposal, it would be dead.
If the Packers and Eagles were in the same division, I’d kind of see your gripe. Playing them twice per year and all that.
As a Packer fan, I have no problem with the tush push. Stop the play on the field if you don’t like it.
The NFL didn’t punish the Patriots when the Jets exposed the Belichick spying operation in Foxboro.
Wait until they see my new play…
The QB chuck.
The entire team blocks the pass rush while the LT and RT drop back to the QB, grab him by each of his sides and heave ho him 8 feet over the line of scrimmage for a 4 yard gain.
Should be very effective in short yardage and at the goal line.
I see an episode of “Little House on the Prairie” is in your memory book. If not, look it up!
link to google.com
Washington already found the way to end the play. Just commit stupid penalties in response to a stupid play. The ball isnt spotted accurately anyway. Its always about the offense anyway. No one can line up directly over the center for safety. If the defense came up with some trick like this it would be banned by the end of postgame interviews.
Lining up directly across the Center is only on field goals, extra points, and punting situations because the LS’s head is looking back between his legs. O technique positions on defense are allowed on regular defensive plays.
People really need to either learn the rules or stF up before embarrassing themselves online with comments like the one above.
“Just commit stupid penalties” one after the other. The referee and/or replay official could call that a Palpably Unfair Act and award a touchdown to the offense.
Keep the play but enforce the offensive line lining up in the neutral zone as it does consistently when this play is run.
Are they going to ban OL from pushing their RB’s for extra yardage as well?
Not saquan Barkley
If there’s a play that results in the referees threatening to give a touchdown to a team who doesn’t score, then the rule needs to be changed.
Also, was Siriani serious that his former coordinators “better” vote to keep it? What happens if they don’t? Hate to break it to ya, but that play is not why this guys are head coaches.
Yes yes he was
He will send Big Dom over to have a ‘conversation’ with them.
These* smh
The super bowl champs have gotten into the heads of the entire league. Fly eagles fly!!!
Yet the Eagles still plan to bend the knee to the wannabe President-for-Life.
The softening of the NFL continues.
Kinda wish they waited to ban this after a Qb got hurt
Next up, two teams have a QB that can heave the ball 75 yards in the air so the committee will rule that in the fairness of competition you are only permitted to throw short passes.
“But only two teams, Philadelphia and Buffalo, ran the push sneak more than five times last season. And of the 35,415 total plays last season, the push sneak accounted for only 101 of those plays, 0.28%.”
A whopping 101 plays out of 35,415 on the season.
They have to ban the play bc eventually someone is gonna end up paralyzed. Pointing your head forward and face down and using the top of your helmet as a battering ram is hs football 1st day 101 on how to break your neck. Here, this is a totally different collision than, say, a nose tackle and center butting heads facemask to facemask and then hand fighting as their bodies rise. This collision is prime for breaking of the neck using the crown of the helmet as a battering ram, against an opposite crown of an opposite helmet as a counter battering ram. I’m an Eagles fan and stand up when it’s tush push time, but quite frankly yeah it’s gotta be banned.
But that is not the “Tush Push” part….That is the OL trying to get movement. The same technique could apply w/o anyone pushing on the QB.
Probably THE worst take ever
The safety component isn’t about ramming the QB and the OGs in the rear end as a technique: it’s about the collateral aspects of the play regarding the OL vs the DL and how they have to perform the play against each other in a stance and consequential action that is, again, football 101 on how the neck breaks to possible paralyzing. I hardly feel that is THE worst take ever.
The argument I’m putting forward isn’t about interpretation of rules regarding pushing, I’m talking about breaking the neck which none of us want and this play is prime for it. I’m not gonna be one of those people who says “I played the game and blah blah” But I kinda feel like it here.
“Patrick Mahomes is a really good passer. We must ban the forward pass.”
If the play is that effective, learn how to run it. “We can’t defend it so make it go away” simply doesn’t work.
Jeez no celebrations, no tush push. League trying to really take fun out of the game. You can’t flaunt player safety as a reason when you want to add another regular season game. You want to have teams play in other countries and then come back and play again. It is a physical game guys know what they signed up for and know injuries are possible.
The “gun” gesture has been banned as advocating mass shootings. The “nose wipe” has banned as a gang sign.
But they always pick and choose when they flag and fine. No mass shooting points at an NFL player celebration. I guess Bucs can’t fire cannons anymore.
If you can’t beat it … ban it
If the offense is allowed to push the ball carrier from behind then the defense should be allowed something similar. Linebackers / safeties allowed to push the D-line.
And they are…
Not currently.
Defensive players are not allowed to add momentum to the charge of a teammate who is on the line of scrimmage
Rule 12. Player Conduct / SECTION 1 – BLOCKING, USE OF HANDS AND ARMS / ARTICLE 4. ASSISTING THE RUNNER AND INTERLOCKING INTERFERENCE states,
“No offensive player may:
1. pull a runner in any direction at any time;
2. use interlocking interference, by grasping a teammate or by using his hands or arms to encircle the body of a teammate in an effort to block an opponent; or
3. push or throw his body against a teammate to aid him in an attempt to obstruct an opponent or to recover a loose ball.”
So, this rule apparently does not preclude an offensive player’s pushing a runner in order to help gain yardage. It would be useful to understand whether this was deliberate, the tush push hadn’t been envisioned by the rule-makers, or there was some other cause or reason.
I asked my question before seeing this. Yeah I guess it doesn’t fall under assisting the runner
A running back pile up will have to be banned or zero advance rules be added as well. Pretty messy.
Stupid questions: there used to be a “helping the runner” penalty. Does it no longer exist? Because wouldn’t the tush push be considered that?
It’s been legal for almost 20 years and there were no complaints until the Eagles mastered the play. And to the claim it’s a safety hazard, there is no evidence to that effect.
IMO, it makes it look too much like a scrum in rugby. Just ugly. I want FB to be about two great athletes running really fast.
There is nothing you can outlaw. It a pure game move. Lol. Good luck.
if your citing potential injury .. then all short yardage and qb sneaks have an inherent injury risk .. and need to be banned as well .. looking forward to more punts and defensive goal line stands
When you are the biggest and the baddest like the super bowl champions Philly Birds, this was bound to happen. Cheese Heads and cowgirls leading the way .The only injury risk is the bruised egos of defensive coordinators around the league who can’t stop the push.
The short answer is don’t put yourself in the position to have to defend against it.
This is pure jealousy and sour grapes by teams that can neither effectively run or stop the play. Get better, don’t go whining to change the rules.
The rule was in place for almost 20 years and no one complained until the Eagles mastered the play. Their excuse that it’s a safety hazard has no evidence. Lame play by the Packers.
Crazy that this is a hot topic. Wild that people are so worried about a qb sneak that has zero injury implications