NFL owners will vote on a number of changes for the 2025 season at the annual owners meetings next week, and there is reportedly momentum building toward a rule that would have a significant impact.
The Green Bay Packers submitted a formal proposal earlier this month to ban the tush push, which has been made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles. The language of the Packers’ proposal calls for implementing a rule that would “prohibit an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap.” The play would result in a 10-yard penalty.
In order for the rule to be implemented, 24 of 32 NFL team owners would need to give it the green light.
On Friday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that there is growing momentum for the tush push ban to pass.
Nothing is set in stone yet.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 28, 2025
But the sense I get from around the league is that momentum around banning the tush push is growing. pic.twitter.com/AMu4ABedmo
The Philadelphia Eagles will obviously vote against the rule. The Buffalo Bills should as well. According to ESPN Research, the Eagles and Bills have run the tush push a combined 163 times over the past three seasons, which is more than the rest of the NFL combined during that span. The two teams scored a touchdown or picked up a first down on 87% of their attempts compared to 71% for the rest of the league.
Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay, who is the chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, admitted this week that teams are uncomfortable with “the idea that the rule is directed towards two teams.”
A proposal to ban the tush push was first submitted last month. It immediately became clear that the Packers were the team behind it, which was not a surprise. Packers president Mark Murphy had previously complained about the so-called “Brotherly Shove” and said there is “no skill involved” in the play. You can read his full comments.
The Eagles used the tush push multiple times during their Super Bowl run last season. There was one sequence of plays during the NFC Championship Game where the Washington Commanders kept jumping offsides when they knew Jalen Hurts was about to run the tush push. The Eagles eventually scored, but many fans learned about a stunning NFL rule in the process.
With the Eagles and Bills undoubtedly voting against the tush push ban, that means the proposal would need 24 of 30 votes. It would still be a surprise if it passed.
