The “tush push” is set to come under the microscope this offseason after an NFL team — identified as the Green Bay Packers in an NFL Network report — proposed a rule banning the play.
Troy Vincent, executive vice president of football operations for the NFL, told NFL Network and the Washington Post on Monday at the scouting combine that a proposal was made, without naming the team that brought it forward.
One team football fans can rule out is the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, the team most associated with the play they prefer to call the “brotherly shove.” The play is a quarterback sneak that features two players pushing their QB from behind to gain a yard.
Eagles star Jalen Hurts frequently scores on the play, including the first touchdown of their 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. It also caused a bizarre scenario in the NFC Championship Game, when the Washington Commanders’ Frankie Luvu jumped offside before two tush pushes at the goal line before referee Shawn Hochuli threatened to award the Eagles a touchdown if it happened again.
The Packers played the Eagles twice last season, losing 34-29 in the opener Sept. 6 in Brazil, and in the wild-card round of the playoffs, 22-10 on Jan. 12 in Philadelphia.
“It’s on our agenda,” Vincent told the news outlets. “The club proposal is, ‘We need to make some adjustments to that. Is that a viable football play?'”
Should the proposal go to a vote, it would require the approval of 24 of the 32 team owners in order to pass.
The play has been scrutinized in prior years by the league’s competition committee, with no rule changes coming from that process.
–Field Level Media
