NFL Tush Push Play Will Not Be Banned This Year, No New Proposals Expected

The NFL's controversial 'tush push' play will likely stay legal this year. This is because no teams have submitted proposals to ban it, and the competition committee isn't pushing for a change.
By Newsroom | Sports, American Football |

Significant discussion surrounding the "tush push" play in the NFL appears unlikely to lead to a formal ban proposal in the current offseason. Rich McKay, co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee, indicated on Sunday that no such proposals have been submitted to the committee. This comes a year after a ban proposal failed to garner sufficient owner support. While some subjective concerns about player safety have been raised, the league has not yet presented data to substantiate these worries. The status of the play, heavily utilized by teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, remains unchanged for now, as rule changes require the approval of at least 24 of the 32 NFL owners.

Context: A Controversial Play

The "tush push," a short-yardage offensive tactic where offensive players push a ball carrier forward, has been a subject of intense debate within the National Football League.

  • Last Year's Vote: A proposal to ban the tush push was brought to a vote at the NFL's Spring League Meeting. This proposal, initially submitted by the Green Bay Packers, ultimately fell short of the required 24-owner majority for ratification, failing by two votes. Some team leaders, such as Lions coach Dan Campbell and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, expressed a preference for teams to find ways to defend against the play rather than seeking to legislate it out of existence.

  • Competition Committee's Stance: The NFL's Competition Committee, co-chaired by Rich McKay, has been central to these discussions. McKay stated that the committee has not recently revisited the issue and does not anticipate a flood of new proposals this offseason.

  • Data and Safety Concerns: While subjective concerns about the safety of the tush push have been voiced, the NFL has not publicly released health data to support these concerns. Some reports suggest that data shows other plays involving pushing or pulling may carry a higher risk of injury.

  • Current Offseason Status: As of the NFL combine meetings, no team has formally submitted a proposal to ban the tush push for the upcoming season.

Evidence of Current Stance

Statements from key figures within the NFL provide insight into the current likelihood of a tush push ban.

"There's no team proposal that I've seen from it," McKay said following a day of meetings at the NFL combine.

This quote from Rich McKay, co-chairman of the NFL competition committee, directly addresses the absence of formal proposals. Additional reporting supports this assertion:

McKay: Not expecting tush push ban proposal - 1

  • No Submitted Proposals: Multiple reports confirm that, as of Sunday, no NFL team has submitted a proposal to ban the tush push this offseason. This lack of formal submission is a significant hurdle for any potential rule change.

  • Past Vote Outcome: Last year's vote, where the ban proposal failed by two votes, indicates a division among owners and a lack of overwhelming consensus for prohibition.

  • Committee Inaction: McKay also explained that the Competition Committee has not revisited the issue in recent weeks, suggesting it is not a current priority for the committee's agenda.

  • Fans and Criticism: Despite ongoing criticism, the general sentiment from sources suggests fans should not expect sweeping changes to the tush push rule this offseason.

Lack of Formal Proposal

The absence of formal proposals is a critical factor in the current situation.

  • Competition Committee's Role: Without a proposal from a team, the Competition Committee has little impetus to advance the topic at league meetings. Their process typically involves reviewing proposals submitted by teams.

  • Owner Approval Threshold: Any rule change in the NFL requires the approval of 24 out of 32 owners. Last year's vote demonstrated that this threshold was not met, with the ban proposal falling short.

  • "Chess Match" Continues: The phrase "Let the chess match play out" was used in relation to the tush push debate, implying that teams and coaches are still strategizing around its use and defense, rather than a resolution being imminent.

Safety Data and Subjective Concerns

The debate over the tush push has included discussions about player safety, though concrete data remains limited.

  • Absence of Public Data: Reports indicate that the NFL has yet to publicize any health data to support suspicions about the tush push's safety.

  • Counterarguments on Safety: One viewpoint suggests that "there's just been no data that shows that it isn't a very, very safe play." Furthermore, it's argued that other formations involving pushing and pulling might present a greater injury risk than the tush push itself.

  • Focus on Defensive Strategy: Some coaches, like Lions head coach Dan Campbell, have voiced that the responsibility lies with opposing teams to "stop the play, not legislate it out of the game." This perspective shifts the focus from a rule change to tactical adjustments on the field.

Limited Expectations for Change

Based on current statements and the process for rule changes, significant shifts regarding the tush push are not anticipated.

McKay: Not expecting tush push ban proposal - 2

  • No Expected Proposals: Rich McKay explicitly stated he is not expecting a ban proposal this year. This sentiment is echoed across multiple reports.

  • Past Support Lacking: While the Packers' proposal last year had "a decent amount of support within the league," it ultimately "came up short" of the required votes.

  • "All 32 Teams Appear Content": One analysis suggests that for the present, all 32 teams seem content to let the tush push remain a legal play.

Expert Analysis

While no new formal analysis has emerged specifically in these articles, the provided context and statements from Rich McKay function as an expert's assessment of the current situation. His role as co-chairman of the Competition Committee gives his observations significant weight. The consistent reporting across multiple sources that no team proposals have been submitted reinforces his assessment. The historical data point from the failed vote last year serves as empirical evidence of the difficulty in achieving the necessary consensus for such a rule change.

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Conclusion and Implications

The current landscape indicates that the "tush push" play will likely remain legal in the NFL for the upcoming season.

  • No Formal Proposals: The most significant factor is the absence of any submitted proposals from NFL teams to ban the play.

  • Competition Committee's Stance: Co-chairman Rich McKay has clearly communicated that he is not anticipating such proposals this year, and the committee has not recently engaged with the issue.

  • Past Vote Demonstrates Difficulty: The failure of a ban proposal to pass by a narrow margin last year highlights the substantial obstacle of securing 24 owner votes.

  • Safety Data Undetermined: Subjective concerns about safety persist, but the league has not presented public data to support these claims, weakening the case for a mandatory ban based on health and safety.

  • Defensive Adaptation: The prevailing view among some coaches is that teams should focus on developing defensive strategies to counter the tush push, rather than seeking its elimination through rule changes.

The implication is that teams that have mastered the tush push, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, can continue to utilize it, and opposing teams will need to find on-field solutions. The window for submitting proposals remains open, but current evidence suggests a lack of momentum for a formal ban.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will the NFL ban the 'tush push' play this year?
No, the NFL is not expected to ban the 'tush push' play this year. The co-chairman of the competition committee, Rich McKay, said that no teams have submitted proposals to ban it.
Q: Why is the 'tush push' play not being banned?
The 'tush push' play is not being banned because no NFL teams have formally submitted a proposal to change the rule. Rule changes need at least 24 out of 32 owners to vote yes, and last year a ban proposal failed to get enough votes.
Q: What did Rich McKay say about the 'tush push' ban?
Rich McKay, co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee, stated that he has not seen any team proposals to ban the 'tush push' and does not expect any this year. He also mentioned the committee has not recently discussed the issue.
Q: Are there safety concerns about the 'tush push' play?
Some people have raised concerns about player safety with the 'tush push' play. However, the NFL has not shown public data to prove it is unsafe, and some believe other plays might be more dangerous.
Q: Which teams use the 'tush push' play a lot?
Teams like the Philadelphia Eagles have used the 'tush push' play frequently. Since it is not expected to be banned, they and other teams can continue to use it.