A proposal to ban the ‘tush push’ play perfected by the Philadelphia Eagles fell short of the required number of votes at the NFL’s spring meeting on Wednesday.
An initial vote on a proposal to ban the play by the Green Bay Packers was tabled at league meetings in April. The Packers subsequently submitted a broader resolution to outlaw pushing or pulling the ball-carrier anywhere on the field, effectively making the tush push illegal.
The proposal required approval from 24 of the 32 league owners. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, 22 teams voted in favor of a ban, with 10 teams voting against.
It means the Eagles will again be able to use a play that has become synonymous with their recent success as they look to defend the Lombardi Trophy in the 2025 season.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 21, 2025
The tush push sees the running back and tight end line up behind the quarterback and push him through the defensive line. It has proven close to unstoppable for the Eagles in short-yardage situations and on the goal line.
Philadelphia finished the 2024 season third in the NFL in fourth down conversion rate, while quarterback Jalen Hurts finished fifth in the NFL in rushing touchdowns, finding the endzone 14 times on the ground.
For his career, 33 of Hurts’ 55 rushing scores have come from one yard out, pointing to the tush push’s devastating effectiveness on the goal line.
No other team has mastered the play to the same level, yet, following presentations from Eagles owner and CEO Jeffrey Lurie and former center Jason Kelce, Philadelphia gained enough support for the play to be kept alive.
The Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and New York Jets were reportedly among the teams to vote against a ban.
