Support for banning the tush-push in the NFL has bottomed out.
Owners decided not to vote on prohibiting the controversial play at the annual league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday.
The league isn’t completely turning its back on the tush-push. It opted to table the discussion until at least May.
It would’ve required 24 of 32 votes to forbid the short-yardage play that was popularized by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
There was support from 16 owners to ban the tush-push, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
NFL owners knew they didn’t have the requisite 24 votes and that, unlike the Eagles, they were going to come up short.
The Green Bay Packers issued the proposal to forbid the tush-push due to player safety and pace of play. Green Bay lost to Philadelphia in the regular season and playoffs.
The Eagles frequently use the play when their within 2 yards of a first down or the goal line. Quarterback Jalen Hurts takes the snap from the center, pauses for his offensive lineman to thrust forward, and plows into the pile head-first. A Philadelphia player lining up behind Hurts, pushes Hurts from behind for an extra boost.
Philadelphia had an 81.3% (39 for 48) success rate on tush-push plays in 2024.
Other voted on other rule changes:
NFL overtime rule change
NFL owners approved a overtime rule change for the 2025 regular season to match the postseason rules. Each team will now get the ball in overtime. The overtime period will remain 10 minutes long.
NFL touchback rule change
NFL owners approved adding 5 yards to the touchback spot on kickoffs. Touchbacks will be placed at the 35-yard line as the league hopes it will encourage more kickoff returns.
Replay assist will help with more penalties
A competition committee proposal to add responsibilities to replay assist was approved. The replay official can reverse flags for hits for five penalties: hitting a defenseless player, face mask, horse-collar tackle, tripping; and running/roughing into the kicker. Replay assist cannot add a penalty that wasn’t flagged on the field.
NFL playoff seeding rule change
A proposal by the Detroit Lions impacting playoff seeding has been tabled by league owners. Detroit submitted a chance to allow wild card teams to be seeded higher than a division champion if the wild card team has a better regular-season record than one of the division champions.
Detroit played Minnesota in Week 18 last year with the NFC North and No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line. The Lions won to clinch a first-round bye but the Vikings (14-3) fell to a wild card spot and No. 5 seed despite having a better record than NFC South champion Tampa Bay (10-7) and NFC West champion Los Angeles (10-7).
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Is the tush push banned? NFL owners make decision on controversial play
Reporting by Ryan Miller, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
