The Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the controversial "tush push" play appears to be losing traction as the NFL's annual league meetings approach. According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, it remains "unclear whether the Packers' proposed ban of the tush push will get the 24 votes among the 32 NFL owners necessary to be approved."
Even within the NFL competition committee, sentiment regarding the ban is reportedly "mixed"-a sign that the proposal faces an uphill battle in securing the required supermajority when owners vote next week.
The Philadelphia Eagles have turned the tush push-where players in the backfield push the quarterback forward on sneaks-into a nearly unstoppable weapon over the past few seasons. For a rule change to pass, there typically needs to be clear evidence that a play increases injury risk. However, so far, "there has been little to no indication that the tush push has led to more injuries."
Adding to the challenge is the proposal's wording, which does not completely ban pushing but prevents it from happening "immediately" at the snap. This loophole allows teams to simply apply the push as a "second effort" to advance the ball-reportedly how the Eagles execute the play already.
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While Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott has voiced concerns about player safety, few other coaches or general managers have publicly backed eliminating the play. Critics argue that banning a legal play solely because of its effectiveness is a slippery slope.
Given the lack of support and the ambiguous language of the proposal, the most likely outcome could be a withdrawal of the ban or a delay until the NFL owners' meetings in May. A final decision will soon clarify whether the tush push remains legal for the 2025 season.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM.