There’s no ifs, ands or butts about it: The push to ban the “tush push” has turn into a ache within the rear for the NFL.
The Inexperienced Bay Packers, whose 2024 season was bookended by losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, have made headlines by lobbying for a rule change to penalize the controversial play — a transfer that will most adversely have an effect on the … Philadelphia Eagles.
Cries of “bitter grapes!” had been heard from the Liberty Bell all the best way to Florida, the place arguments concerning the matter reportedly grew to become heated final week as the 2 sides butted heads on the NFL’s annual homeowners conferences.
The league in the end determined to desk the Packers’ proposal earlier than an official vote. A rule change requires assist from 75 % of the homeowners, or 24 votes, and the camps had been reportedly break up down the center at 16-16.
Despite the fact that the tush push — assume rugby scrum meets QB sneak, if you happen to’ve been below a rock or on a darkness retreat with a four-time MVP — occurred on simply 0.28 % of complete performs within the NFL in 2024, and though the Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles and Buffalo Payments had been the one groups to run it greater than 5 instances, the play has hogged the offseason highlight.
Some critics argue, albeit with out concrete proof, that the play carries a heightened damage danger with a lot mass making use of a lot power in so little area. Others are offended by the aesthetics, as even a Philly fan (after just a few Yuengling lagers, maybe) must admit that the tush push is butt-ugly.
One other argument mentioning the rear is that it’s already in opposition to the foundations for defensive gamers to push their very own linemen from behind throughout kicking performs, though that’s largely as a result of the lengthy snapper is a defenseless and weak participant.
“We don’t enable the linebackers to push the defensive linemen on additional factors and we’re simply attempting to be constant,” mentioned Dallas Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones, a member of the NFL’s competitors committee.
“… Inexperienced Bay actually introduced one thing to our consideration that we felt like definitely must be vetted within the assembly room and amongst the homeowners and see the place we come out on it.”
Proponents of the tush push, alternately styled because the “brotherly shove” within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love, counter that the play is definitely safer than a standard sneak, the place a quarterback has much less safety from teammates.
“We’ve been very open to no matter information exists on the tush push and there’s simply been no information that exhibits that it isn’t a really, very secure play,” Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie mentioned. “If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be pushing the tush push.”
A number of supporters for preserving the play authorized level out the potential unfairness of penalizing Philadelphia for creating and rigorously training a play that also works — even when everybody within the stadium and watching at dwelling is aware of what’s coming.
“I’m of the varsity that they discovered one thing and it’s as much as everyone else to cease it. So, I’m a tough sure,” Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell mentioned.
“The Eagles simply coach it higher than the remainder of us,” added Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales.
The NFL by no means needs to be the butt of jokes on late-night TV. Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned he helps Inexperienced Bay’s plan to broaden the proposal to take away all pushing and pulling of gamers.
“That makes loads of sense in some ways as a result of that expands it past that single play,” he mentioned. “There are loads of performs the place you see folks pushing or pulling someone that aren’t within the tush push formation that I feel do have an elevated danger of damage. So, I feel the committee will take a look at that and are available again … with some proposals.”
To push or to not push. Cheeseheads versus cheesesteaks. The talk isn’t over. It’ll rear its ugly head once more on the Might 20–21 league conferences in Minneapolis.
