A proposed ban on the tush push failed to secure enough votes from NFL owners on Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
The NFL required the approval of 24 teams to pass a change in rules, but only 22 voted to ban the play. The Eagles used the tush push to great effect during their run to the Super Bowl last season. The team have used the play since 2022. It involves two or three players lining up behind quarterback Jalen Hurts to push him forward in short yardage situations. Several other teams have copied Philadelphia’s use of the play, including the Buffalo Bills. Pushing Josh Allen in short-yardage situations has worked out for Buffalo, except on a critical fourth down in the AFC championship game against Kansas City when there was also a controversial spot on the play.
The Eagles brought former center Jason Kelce, one of the players who fueled the success of the tush push, to the meetings in Minnesota with owner Jeffrey Lurie to provide more clarity around the play. Kelce, a seven-time Pro Bowl pick who retired after the 2023 season, said recently he wasn’t as concerned about a ban of the tush push as he was about clearing up misconceptions it poses an injury risk and was partially responsible for his decision to end his career.
“I’ll come out of retirement today if you tell me all I’ve got to do is run 80 tush pushes to play in the NFL,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast with his brother, Travis. “I’ll do that gladly. It’ll be the easiest job in the world.”
The NFL has said no injuries have been reported on a tush push since its inception. In April, NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay stressed the issues surrounding the play extend beyond safety.
“There are definitely some people that have health and safety concerns, but there’s just as many people that have football concerns,” McKay said. “So I wouldn’t say it was because of one particular health and safety video or discussion. It was much more about the play, the aesthetics of the play, is it part of what football has been traditionally, or is it more of a rugby play? All those types of discussions. Health and safety is still there because of potential but I wouldn’t go beyond that.”
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy called the tush push “bad for the game” after the Packers were eliminated by the Eagles in the playoffs last season.
“There is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less,” Murphy said. “I would like to see the league prohibit pushing or aiding the run.”
Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson
Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion
Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris said in February he wouldn’t mind seeing the play outlawed. “I’ve never been a fan,” Morris said. “Never understood why it was allowed. I definitely will be one of the guys voting against it.”
After Wednesday’s vote was taken, the Eagles sent on social media a picture of Hurts about to run a tush push against the Green Bay Packers with the caption, “Push on.” The Packers proposed the ban on offensive players pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping or encircling a runner.
