After being tabled during the NFL’s annual meetings in Palm Beach, Florida last month, the proposed ban on the controversial “Tush Push” is once again up for a vote.
League owners are scheduled to make a final decision on the matter during meetings this week in Eagan, Minnesota.
The delay in voting came after Falcons CEO and competition committee chairman Rich McKay urged owners to revisit the league’s old rulebook language prior to any formal decision.
That rule, which existed before 2005, prohibited players from pushing or pulling teammates to aid in advancing the ball.
As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported at the time, McKay requested that the group “review and discuss the language of the NFL’s pre-2005 rule… prior to voting.”
That review now appears to have taken place.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Green Bay Packers have stepped forward with a formal proposal built on revised rule language.
“The #Packers have submitted updated language for their Tush Push proposal, one that will be voted on at the league meeting on Wednesday. It takes the rule back to what it was until 2005,” Rapoport reported on X.
The push-assisted quarterback sneak, often referred to as the “Tush Push” or “Brotherly Shove,” gained widespread attention thanks to its consistent success with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
The play, which involves offensive teammates – usually linemen and/or backs – pushing the quarterback forward on a sneak, has sparked debate throughout the league.
Critics argue that the move raises injury concerns and veers away from the spirit of traditional football mechanics, while supporters see it as a strategic advantage within the current rules.
Green Bay has been very vocal about their dislike and disapproval of the play.
“There is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less. I would like to see the league prohibit pushing or aiding the runner (QB) on this play,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy recently stated.
“There used to be a rule prohibiting this, but it is no longer enforced because I believe it was thought to be too hard for the officials to see. The play is bad for the game, and we should go back to prohibiting the push of the runner.
“This would bring back the traditional QB sneak. That worked pretty well for Bart Starr and the Packers in the Ice Bowl.”
Of course, there’s a whole other side to the Tush Push debate.
Many agree with Eagles running back Saquon Barkley’s stance. “If you don’t like it, get better at stopping it … It’s not like a play that we only do. Everyone tries it, we’re just super successful at it,” he said.
Clearly, the Tush Push has become an extremely polarizing play. You’re either for it or against it … Where do YOU stand on the controversial proposal to ban the play???
