The Philadelphia Eagles may not want to hear it, but the NFL’s most polarizing play – the “Tush Push” – may soon be history.
According to reports, commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to aggressively pursue a vote to outlaw the controversial quarterback sneak variation at next week’s league meeting in Minneapolis.
The play, made famous by the Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts, has sparked intense debate in league circles and among fans.
While some teams have attempted to mimic its success, no one has executed it with the same dominance as Philadelphia, making the tactic both a weapon and a lightning rod.
In his latest Sports Illustrated column, NFL insider Albert Breer shared strong indications that Goodell is ready to push for a ban.
“Expect to hear a lot of tush push talk this week,” Breer wrote. “Goodell wouldn’t have tabled the vote from March until next week’s league meeting in Minnesota if he didn’t plan on pushing to get it banned. My guess is Goodell will get his way on this.”
The Green Bay Packers originally proposed banning the play, and while the vote was postponed during March’s owners’ meeting, momentum behind the proposal has only grown.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also weighed in on the issue during a recent episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, confirming that support for the ban is mounting behind the scenes.
“I think if we go and we parse through what the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, told reporters at his post-league meeting press conference, I think it became pretty apparent that he and others want the tush push out of the game,” Schefter said.
“There are 16 votes that they’ve gotten,” Schefter continued. “16 teams willing to overturn the tush push and have it banned, the league needs 24 votes. And Roger Goodell is a master at getting the votes he needs for the issues he wants.
“Rest be assured, they’re going to be working to get those 24 votes before the main meeting in Minneapolis. And I believe, ultimately, they will get them.”
Currently, 24 of the NFL’s 32 teams would need to support the motion for the rule change to be enacted.
If Schefter’s prediction proves correct, the days of the Eagles bulldozing defenders with Hurts under center and a wall of linemen behind him could soon be over.
Despite the expected vote, the debate over the Tush Push isn’t dying down. Supporters of the play argue that it’s a fair and legal tactic – rooted in toughness and execution – and that defenses simply need to find ways to counter it.
Opponents say it gives an unnatural advantage, reduces skill from short-yardage situations, and turns the game into a rugby scrum.
Regardless of opinion, the next few days will be critical in determining whether one of the NFL’s most talked-about plays remains part of the game or is relegated to history.
The NFL’s spring meetings kick off next week in Minnesota, and according to multiple insiders, it will most likely mark the end of the Tush Push era.
If Goodell is successful in rounding up the final eight votes, the league will head into the 2025 season with a new rulebook – and the Eagles will have to find a new way to convert on 4th-and-1.
What are your thoughts on the anticipation that the Tush Push will soon be banned???
