The votes are in, and the “tush push” is safe for at least another year. A proposal to eliminate the play, which the Philadelphia Eagles have mastered to near perfection, fell just short during the NFL owners meetings held in Eagan, Minnesota, with a vote tally of 22 in favor and 10 against, needing 24 votes for approval.
Heading into the day, there was considerable intrigue about how this vote would unfold. The Eagles, boasting a strong connection to the play, were perhaps the most vocal advocates for its preservation. Meanwhile, representatives from other teams seemed more inclined towards the ban, suggesting a divided opinion across the league.
Ultimately, the Eagles carried the day, but it was a narrow victory. Notably, a fascinating aspect of the vote was the list of teams that rallied in support of the tush push. The following ten franchises voted against the ban, effectively securing the play’s status for at least another season:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cleveland Browns
- Detroit Lions
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Miami Dolphins
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Jets
- Tennessee Titans
Among those opposed to the ban was Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who cleverly sidestepped questions about his vote, but signs suggest he was eager to maintain an edge over his division rival. Interestingly, his fellow NFC East counterparts, the New York Giants and Washington Commanders, opted to support the ban. Both teams, like the Cowboys, will face the Eagles twice during the regular season and likely have grown weary of defending against the tush push strategy.
Further adding to the dynamics, the majority of teams scheduled to face the Eagles in 2025 also supported the ban, with the exception being the Lions, who are relatively unfazed by the Eagles’ tactical approach and will face off against them in Week 11.
Meanwhile, this brings us to the 22 teams that voted in favor of banning the tush push:
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Minnesota Vikings
- New York Giants
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Washington Commanders
Not surprisingly, the Green Bay Packers were among the franchises advocating for the ban; they were the ones who originally proposed it. What’s intriguing here are the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts. Both teams, led by head coaches with roots in Philadelphia’s successful coaching tree, opted to back the ban. Shane Steichen, now with the Colts, had reportedly been contacted by Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni in an effort to influence the Colts’ vote. While Steichen voiced his support for keeping the tush push, the Colts’ team representative apparently held a different view, creating a potentially awkward scenario when Sirianni and Steichen next cross paths.
Speaking of connections, there’s another layer to this issue when considering Kellen Moore, the former Eagles offensive coordinator who led the team to a Super Bowl victory before being hired as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Given that the Saints were one of the ten teams voting against the ban, it’s safe to say that Moore will likely enjoy cordial relations with Sirianni well into the future.
This tug-of-war over the tush push encapsulates the ongoing war of strategies in the NFL, where innovation meets tradition, and tactical advantages can determine the tides of competition. For the Eagles, this victory is a reminder of their unique play style and how it continues to make waves across the league. As they gear up for the upcoming season, you can bet their opponents will remain ever vigilant, looking for ways to counter this entrenched tactic.
