The Green Bay Packers have proposed a modification to the rule that would prohibit the “tush push” tactic. This adjustment aims to broaden the scope of the rule change, hoping to gather more backing for the ban on this contentious play.
The NFL owners will vote on the proposal during meetings taking place in Minnesota this week, which begin on Tuesday and end on Wednesday, after it had been tabled back in April during league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida.
In the new version of the rule proposal, the language read, “offensive players cannot assist the runner except by individually blocking opponents for him,” ESPN reported.
It had previously included the phrase, “immediately at the snap.”
The tush push has become a polarizing play in the NFL, popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills.
The original language of the Packers’ proposal had seemed to specifically target the Eagles and Bills by taking away teams’ ability to push an offensive ball carrier right at the snap.
With the language change, the NFL would revert to a rule that had been in place up until 2005.
ESPN Research found that the tush push was utilized in only 0.28% of total plays last year, with the Bills and Eagles being the two teams to run the play the most.
“The outcome of those 0.28% of plays is unlikely to change — teams are gonna get the sneak regardless of the push,” one source told Yahoo Sports. “Even when you watch the play. Sometimes the pusher doesn’t even get to make contact with [Jalen] Hurts.
“Other times he does, but it’s after the first down was reached.”
For the motion to pass, 24 of the 32 NFL owners will need to approve the proposal and it seems like it’s up in the air if there is enough support.
ESPN reported in April that 16 teams were in favor and 16 were against the ban.
