The NFL season is over with the Seattle Seahawks emerging as the Super Bowl champions. Now that the offseason is underway, players are vacationing while the teams are planning how to approach next season.
The Super Bowl champions were worried that one of their innovative plays was going to get banned. However, it looks like it will stay for at least one more season in a huge win for the franchise.
Seahawks’ tush push play will not be banned
The Seahawks will be delighted to know that the tush push play will not be banned ahead of next season. The controversial short-yardage tactic has been despised by many in the league, and was close to a ban in 2025. A proposal to do so did not meet the required 24 vote threshold, being two votes short of meeting it.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the tush push play on the goal line against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the tush push play on the goal line against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The tactic involves teammates pushing the ball carrier forward on quarterback sneaks to gain crucial short yards. Many complain about it due to safety concerns and unsportsmanlike behavior. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, no team has proposed to ban it so far this offseason, which means the Seahawks can utilize it once more as it will survive until the end of the 2026 season.
NFL Competition Committee co-chairman Rich McKay talked about the play after the NFL combine, and said, “There’s no team proposal that I’ve seen from it. So, I wouldn’t envision it. But you never know.”
The previous proposal to ban the play was from Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy. He is currently retired and it means that there aren’t any strong advocates to push for a ban anymore. This is good news for teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seahawks who have largely used this tactic successfully in recent years.
Seahawks’ AJ Barner utilized tush push play in innovative manner
The tush push play was first utilized by the Eagles who used it on quarterback Jalen Hurts over the last few seasons. He used it even in the Super Bowl LIX which they won and scored the first touchdown using the play. Over the years, many teams especially the Eagles, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Buffalo Bills have used it.
Last season, the Seahawks used an innovative version of the tactic, using a tight end instead of the quarterback. Tight end AJ Barner was used instead of quarterback Sam Darnold, as he is a massive figure at 6’6″ and 251 pounds.
Barner attempted it 10 times in the last season, which succeeded nine times and even led to a touchdown. This strategy helped them in a way to win the Super Bowl. Overall, the NFL saw 112 tush push attempts in 2025, while seeing 101 attempts the previous year.
The tush push play remains a strategic way to gain short yards in tough situations, and the Seahawks could be using it again in the 2026 season.