The “tush push” maneuver continues to challenge both defenses and decision-makers alike.
During the recent NFL scouting combine, executive Troy Vincent revealed that no team has submitted a proposal to eliminate the debated quarterback sneak play before the deadline for suggesting rule amendments. However, the league may still consider adjustments to rules concerning the act of pushing and pulling players.
Known for their adept use of this short-yardage tactic, the Philadelphia Eagles have capitalized on quarterback Jalen Hurts’ powerful legs and a formidable offensive line. Following their Super Bowl victory at the close of the 2024 season, the Green Bay Packers proposed a rule change aimed at banning any offensive player actions such as pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, or encircling a runner, which would effectively outlaw the “tush push.” Despite gaining support from 22 out of the 32 NFL teams, the proposal fell short by just two votes.
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At the combine, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed that the team has no intention of revisiting the proposal to ban the play.
“And nobody’s approached us about attempting it again,” Gutekunst mentioned.
The Eagles weren’t as successful running the play in 2025 as they were in previous seasons. They also ran some trick plays out of the formation.
“I think there’s some things that teams did this year that they did a good job of being able to stop it,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We either have to get back to being able to be as dominant as we were at it, or we find new avenues to be able to convert on third down or in the red zone. That’s the fun part about the offseason is to be able to go through those processes. You go through them during the season, as well. And I think you saw us do some cool things off of it, and you still want to be able to do them.”
The NFL instructed officials to crack down on false starts out of the tight formation and there were complaints that officiating the tush push was becoming too difficult. It appeared momentum was building for a proposed ban again this offseason but that hasn’t happened.
There was a strong push last year from detractors to eliminate the play for health and safety reasons, even though the NFL’s data showed no injuries on the play.
“Last year, we spent two hours on health and safety on the (tush push) and then added 1,000 kickoffs,” said Broncos coach Sean Payton, who is a member of the NFL’s Competition Committee. “Which play do you think is more of a health risk? I think if we ever choose to move on from (the tush push), it won’t be because of health and safety. It’ll just be like we don’t like it, which is OK.”
Hall of Fame safety John Lynch, the 49ers general manager and also a member of the competition committee, said about the play: “Maybe it’s kind of solving itself.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report.
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