MAY 19: The Eagles are making calls around the league to argue in favor of keeping the play in place, Dianna Russini and Tess DeMeyer report (subscription required). A broader definition being considered for a ban could help convince teams which were initially opposed to a ban to support one, but last-minute efforts are being made to prevent that from happening.
MAY 18: The Packers’ crusade to ban the tush push will continue next week when NFL owners gather in Minneapolis, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post.
Green Bay proposed the rule change ahead of the last league meetings in Florida at the end of March, but it was tabled due to narrow wording that appeared to target the Eagles and the Bills. The language is expected to be broadened to cover all instances of pushing or pulling a ballcarrier, per Maske.
“We’ll see if there is a three-quarter consensus on any proposal, specifically the push-play proposal that Green Bay put forward or any other amending it when we get together next week,” said NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller (via Maske).
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Packers team president Mark Murphy both expressed support for an expanded push/pull ban after the initial language failed to generate consensus in March.
The Eagles, who have used the tush push more frequently than any other team, have led opposition to the rule change. They succeeded in slowing initial momentum by arguing that the Packers were singling out a specific execution of the play. However, health and safety concerns surrounding the push play have persisted, especially after a presentation by NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills warning that a catastrophic injury was a matter of when, not if.
The Packers hope that the change will draw more support around the league after teams were split on the original proposal, but a league source remains unsure if the new language will receive the 24 votes required to pass, according to Maske.
Why should this be banned? Sooner or later, it’ll be figured out and be old news. NFL is getting softer by the day
Because football is not rugby. This is a rugby play. They just need to go back to the pre-2006 rule and then actually throw the flag when it happens.
Jordan Mailata played rugby and has stated numerous times it’s not a rugby play. I’ll take his word
Lafleur can’t figure out how to stop it so the Packers just keep the tantrum going. Some other teams are on that bandwagon, but the the Packers have to own this bs.
To Mustard Tiger:
Offensive lineman have been pushing RB’s down the field for over 50 years.
link to youtube.com
Cause the NFL can’t say “defenders can’t push piles or shove each other in the back it’s a player safety and injury concern” and then say “offense shove each other how ever much you want ignore player safety and injury concerns”
You either have to let both sides of the ball do it or neither.
Can you imagine if guys were allowed to come up behind Aaron Donald and help push him through the oline? Dude could have broken all time sack records probably gotten 30 in a season
You can’t push anyone lined up on the line of scrimmage. Offense or defensive line. The quarterback is not lined up on the line of scrimmage. The defense can stack the box and push, just not the D lineman. Todd Bowles figured out how to stop it. Let the rest of the NFL figure it out as well
The Eagles have ran this play for 3+ years. No injuries yet. That player safety narrative is lame and tiresome.
If this was any other team than the Eagles, the NFL would have no problem with it. If this was the Chiefs and the NFL’s golden boy? They wouldn’t say a word
You can’t push anyone through line of scrimmage on defense once ball is hiked* doesn’t matter where they line up. Once the ball is hiked defenders cannot push each other through line of scrimmage. Even if someone like Aaron Darnold lined up off the line once ball is hiked it’s illegal to push him through the line of scrimmage.
If two line backers blitz once ball is snapped they can’t push one another through the line of scrimmage.
If line backers can’t push each other through line of scrimmage or lineman can’t be pushed through if they line up off the line why should QB or TE be allowed to be pushed
Should it be legal for two guys to grab the QB by an arm and a leg each and literally throw him over the line?
It’s very simple the NFL is an entertainment business first and foremost. Tush push is bad TV it takes the excitement and drama out of short yardage high intensity situations.
I kind of agree with this statement although the league loves offense if teams all get good enough at it the short yardage situations with possession on the line may become moot and that’s an exciting scenario to see. I don’t blame the Eagles for coming up with it and perfecting it but others will follow suit and it will in a small percentage way make the game less exciting and dramatic. If it’s true that it puts players safety more at risk than a normal fourth and inches it’ll make it even easier to ban. Do you think kick off return specialists were happy to see the ball moved up and booted through the back of the end zone? No. But the league is always trying to minimize liability and if they can do that while making the game more dramatic they’ll do it.
SInce it’s all about Entertainment and nothing else….We should strive to keep games more competitive. If you go down by 14+, then you should only need 5 yards for a 1st down. If you are up 14+, make 1st Downs 15 yards. If you are down 21+, Add 1 Point Each for a TD and FG to the trailing team and subtract Point from the Team Leading. If Down by 14+ in the 4th Quarter, the Trailing Team is allowed to call a Mulligan on any play for a Do Over. This could be an offensive, defensive, or special teams play.
And like MTV changed itself from “Music Television” to Just “MTV” the “National Football League” can just call itself NFL. Since it is just purely entertainment
The Packets are soft
Packers are soft
The idea that pushing a tush is going to result in a “catastrophic” injury seems absurd. Is this the same NFL chief medical officer that continues to ignore the concussions Tua Tagovailoa has suffered?
Health and safety. National security. Both lame excuses.
Has anyone gotten so much as a hangnail from this play or is the “health concern” based on potential tragedies … because even legit tackles can lead to injury or be career ending.
If you really want to stop the tush push then STOP the tush push
The only person I remember getting hurt on a tush push attempt was Giants center John Michael Schmitz when the Giants tried and failed to do it.
The inevitable “catastrophic injury” thing feels like a canard. It’s NFL football. Any play but a kneel down will eventually involve a terrible injury.
If it’s a question of fairness, I don’t see how it’s an unfairly unstoppable play if only one team can pull it off. Should they ban Jeff Stoutland from coaching because it’s unfair that only one team can employ him?
Idc one way or another keep it ban it whatever
But if offense can let RBs shove QBs and TEs forward then defense should be allowed to have LBs shove LBs to knock over offensive linemen creating holes up front to force the QB out of the pocket. Fair is fair a 3-3-5 would be so deadly if LBs could shove each other through A gaps.
Packers acting like a proper cuck
Cowards and whiners because they can’t emulate it.
The best argument against banning it I’ve seen so far is that no one else can do it effectively. If it were some cheat code the whole league could spam then I’d be more sympathetic to the Packers case. Oh and miss me with the “health and safety concerns” when the league is planing on further extending the season and still won’t get rid of Thursday games.
And the push to ban the push fails. LOL!