Baltimore Sports Today

Baltimore Sports News Continuously Updated

The tush push survives after NFL owners fall two votes short

by

NFL: OCT 01 Commanders at Eagles
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

NFL owners are in Minneapolis, Minnesota today to vote on several rule change proposals. The proposal making the biggest headlines was from the Green Bay Packers, and that failed to get enough votes today. The tush push, made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles over the last few years, will remain an option for all NFL teams. The Eagles successfully lobbied to prevent the ban, and team owner Jeffrey Lurie brought Jason Kelce to the meetings to dispel rumors about the reason for his retirement.

2025 PLAYING RULE PROPOSAL NO. 5A

Amend Rule 12, Section 1, Article 4 as follows (new language underlined, deleted language struck through):

ARTICLE 4. ASSISTING THE RUNNER AND INTERLOCKING INTERFERENCE. No offensive player may:

(a) push or pull a runner in any direction at any time; or lift him to his feet; or

(b) use interlocking interference, by grasping a teammate or by using his hands or arms to encircle the body of a teammate in an effort to block an opponent; or

(c) push or throw his body against a teammate to aid him in an attempt to obstruct an opponent or to recover a loose ball; or

(d) assist the runner except by individually blocking opponents for him.

Penalty: For assisting the runner, interlocking interference, or illegal use of hands, arms, or body by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.

Submitted by

Green Bay

Effect: Prohibits an offensive player from pushing, pulling, or assisting the runner except by individually blocking opponents for him.

Reason: Player safety, Pace of play.

The NFL’s competition committee and health and safety committee have recommended the league ban the “tush push,” the Philadelphia Eagles’ signature QB sneak, ahead of a league vote on Wednesday, according to league sources. The development suggests team owners will vote in favor of a proposal to ban the play.

Frankie Luvu’s opinion didn’t sway NFL owners.

“My personal opinion? I think they should ban it,” Luvu said in an interview with “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network. “But I know the argument’s going to be about, ‘Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don’t get us in short yardage,’ and whatnot.

“But it’s kind of like a cheapo play. … That’s pretty much a scrum in rugby. That’s how I kind of look at it. And we’ve got to have a scrum, too, on the other side. And the scrum is, we have a cadence where we all go at once. It’s not like you hard count and this and that, where now you’re getting us — or myself — jumping over the pile thinking that you’re going to snap the ball. That’s just my own personal opinion, and I’m going to leave it at that.”