Another attempt to ban the “Tush Push” has been presented to the NFL, with the Green Bay Packers reportedly leading the charge. The Packers, who were eliminated in the playoffs by the Philadelphia Eagles—who popularized the play—have submitted a proposal to the NFL’s competition committee to prohibit it. Packers president Mark Murphy has publicly expressed his opposition to the short-yardage tactic, stating that it often results in “almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less.”
In a Q&A on the Packers’ official site, Murphy referenced the Washington Commanders’ struggles to defend against the play during the NFC Championship Game, where officials warned them that they could be penalized for jumping offsides. “I am not a fan of this play,” Murphy remarked. “There is no skill involved, and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less. The situation with the Commanders jumping offsides to try to stop the play was absurd. I would like to see the league prohibit pushing or aiding the runner (quarterback) on this play. There used to be a rule against this, but it fell out of enforcement because it was deemed too difficult for officials to monitor. This play is detrimental to the game, and we should revert to prohibiting the push of the runner.”
It’s important to note that the Packers have executed their own version of the “Tush Push,” successfully converting all five attempts when tight end Tucker Kraft takes the snap. They managed to convert two of those attempts against the Eagles in the playoffs. However, these plays are more traditional sneaks, unlike the Eagles’ approach, where quarterback Jalen Hurts is propelled forward by tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley, making it nearly impossible to defend. Hurts scored the first touchdown of Super Bowl LIX using this tactic, contributing to the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
While other teams have tried their own variations of the “Tush Push,” the Eagles have excelled at it, achieving far more successful first-down conversions and touchdowns than any other team. Last offseason, there was significant debate regarding the play’s future, but it did not reach a vote. For the play to be officially removed, league owners would need to vote on the matter in March.
