The Philadelphia Eagles unleashed the ‘tush push’ on the National Football League during the 2022 season, with quarterback Jalen Hurts leading one of the most successful plays in the league. While the play has been highly effective, its legality is up in the air.
Opinions have been split on the tush push for several years with league officials weighing whether or not it should be banned in each of the last two offseasons. Each time, it was determined that the play could stick around with Philadelphia using it to near perfection.
In 2024, the Eagles converted on 28-of-34 tush push attempts, which was by far the highest mark in the NFL. Furthermore, the Eagles have maintained an 80-plus percent success rate on the ‘brotherly shove’ of each of the last three seasons.
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After a third consecutive year of the highly successful play causing problems for opponents, efforts are being made to stop it off the field. In February, the Green Bay Packers proposed a rule to ban the tush push play permanently. While the proposal received strong pushback from NFL fans, those inside the league reportedly feel differently.
“No offensive player may . . . immediately at the snap, push or throw his body against a teammate, who was lined up directly behind the snapper and received the snap, to aid him in an attempt to gain yardage.”
Green Bay Packers’ rule proposal to ban the brotherly shove
Will the brotherly shove be banned?
On the latest episode of the Scoop City podcast, senior NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic shared that based on conversations around the league she’s heard, there is momentum gaining for the tush push to be banned before next season.
“I feel like it’s getting more momentum in terms of those opposed to it than I’ve ever heard before.”
Dianna Russini on the future of the tush push
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Many wondered if the Eagles’ brotherly shove would become less effective in 2024 following the retirement of future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce. While the club’s success rate was below 90 percent for the second consecutive year, the play still proved highly effective.
The NFL originally had rules against “aiding the runner” or forbidding offensive players from pushing, pulling or lifting the ball carrier to assist forward progress. However, when the penalty was never called, the league got rid of it. Decades later, it’s back on the table and there seems to be a real chance the tush push gets pushed out of the NFL before Week 1.