NFL owners are meeting this week to discuss several major tops, including the highly controversial Tush Push. The Philadelphia Eagles popularized the play after starting to use it in 2022 with wild success. And it’s been a hot topic of debate ever since then.
NFL owners are scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Minneapolis to vote on a proposal to ban the “tush push” play that the Eagles have mastered. The proposal was tabled this spring at the league meeting in West Palm Beach but is expected to come to a vote this week. pic.twitter.com/pt6pNPB0z9
– Adam Scha after (@Adamscha after) May 19, 2025
The Tush Push (aka Brotherly Shove) is a play that sees the quarterback take the snap while a few others line up behind him and push him over the line for the first down or touchdown. All 32 teams are currently allowed to use the play, but the Eagles are the only ones who have mastered it and used it to their advantage.
It was the Green Bay Packers who proposed a ban of the playbut they’re not the only team taking issue with it. The owners were set to vote on it last month, but it was tabled to allow for more discussion.
NFL teams against the Tush Push – will it actually be banned?
The NFL only needs nine teams to vote against a ban on the Tush Push for it to fail. Back in April when the owners met to discuss the play, at least 10 wanted to keep it and at least three wanted to ban it.
Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu made headlines on Monday for calling it a “cheapo play”. Luvu was flagged on three consecutive snaps late in the NFC Championship game against the Eagles after jumping over the line of scrimmage trying to stop the tush push.
“There are definitely some people that have health and safety concerns, but there’s just as many people that have football concerns,” NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay said at the time. “So I wouldn’t say it was because of one particular health and safety video or discussion. It was much more about the play, the aesthetics of the play, is it part of what football has been traditionally, or is it more of a rugby play?”
NFL teams who want the Tush Push banned
- Green Bay Packers
- Buffalo Bills
- Dallas Cowboys
We already know how the Packers feel about the play, as they’re the ones who submitted the proposal, though it’s president Mark Murphy who’s leading the fight. Bills coach Sean McDermott sees a ban as a “proactive” measure. And Cowboys CEO/co-owner Stephen Jones cited inconsistency in leverage plays as a reason for banning the Tush Push.
NFL teams who want to keep the Tush Push
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cleveland Browns
- Detroit Lions
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
Obviously the Eagles are against a ban of the play they popularized and mastered. Most of the other teams on this list have had their coaches or managers publicly indicate that they are against the banalthough Ravens coach John Harbaugh has said that he would be open to a ban if the safety concerns prove to be valid.
The anti tush-push lobby of the NFL are citing “Player Safety” and “Pace of Play” as their arguments for banning the play.
Reminder that not a single player on offense or defense was injured on the play last season, and it’s literally one of the fastest plays ran at the line. pic.twitter.com/aIIfFhdE1b
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) May 19, 2025
NFL teams on the fence about the Tush Push
- Los Angeles Rams
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Pittsburgh Steelers
The Rams seem to be split on the decision. General manager Les Snead doesn’t believe the injury data supports a ban, while head coach Sean McVay doesn’t think the play ever should’ve been allowed in the first place. Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged both sides of the argument and agreed that the play should be banned if it puts a player’s health/safety in jeopardy. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has said he’s going to keep an open mind about the arguments both directions.
Other discussion points in NFL owners meeting
Along with the Tush Push, the league owners will also discuss playoff seeding and Flag Football in the 2028 Olympics.
The Detroit Lions proposed changing the current playoff system, which gives division champions the top four seeds in each conference, regardless of their records. They instead propose a format that would seed Nos. 1-7 strictly by their record – not their division title. This would address the current issue of division champs with worse records hosting playoff games over stronger Wild-Card teams. Just last season, the Minnesota Vikings finished 14-3, one game behind the Lions in the NFC North, and had to play at the Los Angeles Rams (NFC West champions). The Rams won.
The league is also debating a proposal to allow NFL players to participate in Flag Football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The plan would permit just one player per team to participate and would offer injury protection and salary cap credit. Several NFL stars, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Vikings running back Aaron Jones, have expressed interest.
“I would absolutely love it,” said Jones. “Every other sport gets an opportunity to win a gold medal. And if you’re not serving your country in the military, I feel like that’s the other highest honor.”
“There’s more work to be done there,” NFL executive Jeff Miller said about the flag football proposal. “It will certainly be an important topic of conversation. … I would expect it to be an engaging and robust conversation on that topic.”
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