Identical to it’s been on the sphere for the previous three years, an off-field effort by the NFL to ban the Eagles’ “tush push” play got here up brief.
The modified QB sneak that helped the Eagles clinch a second Tremendous Bowl title final season shall be authorized for not less than one other season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that 22 of the league’s 32 crew house owners voted for the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ rule change proposal, which might have banned offensive gamers from aiding a ballcarrier by pushing, pulling or lifting him, leaving it two votes wanting the 75% threshold it wanted to be enacted.
Even higher, 22-10 was the ultimate rating of final season’s Wild Card spherical recreation between the Eagles and the Packers, which is a reasonably karmic coincidence.
The decision was a shocker, in lots of respects. Earlier Wednesday, the league’s competitors committee and well being and security committee each beneficial banning the play, in line with the Athletic. There had been a whole lot of behind-the-scenes speaking that the vote was a achieved deal.
However … nope.
The Eagles had responses, each brief and lengthy.
The brief one was simply two phrases: “Push On.”
The lengthy one? How ‘bout a 26-minute video of nothing however the tush push on the crew’s YouTube channel.
On-line reactions to the vote went from offended that the league was about to take the tush push out of the Eagles’ playbook to jubilant that the crew can get their revenge in opposition to those that tried to take it away.
Kelce’s dialogue with the groups most likely performed some position in swaying votes. He was photographed wanting fairly thrilled after the vote, and his podcast had some enjoyable taking credit score for the consequence.
Former Eagle Chris Lengthy supplied some comfort for individuals who have been upset by the end result.
After all a billboard has already gone up celebrating.
Earlier than the vote, somebody urged erecting a statue exterior the Linc in reminiscence of the play. Possibly there’s nonetheless a case for that.
The town’s social media crew hopped on the development of trolling Packers followers’ “Cheesehead” custom (although we have now to remind them that Philadelphia Cream Cheese really comes from upstate New York).
Native artist Dhwani Saraiya had a tribute to Nick Sirianni’s viral recommendation for different groups sad concerning the play.
we dwell to see one other day pic.twitter.com/NpYaxAr4bC
— dhwani (@dhwanisaraiya_) Could 21, 2025
The oldsters on the “Talkin’ 215” podcast most likely had this tune queued up as a send-off to the play, however it makes for a catchy victory tune.
These already planning the best way to get again on the Packers had some strategies. “Good Morning Soccer” host Kyle Brandt needs the tush push to characteristic closely within the groups’ Week 10 matchup at Lambeau Subject.
FantasyPros editor Mike Maher cranked the pettiness to 10 with a revenge plan, which targets one thing pricey to the Packers: The Lambeau Leap.
The groups that voted with the Eagles in opposition to the ban, in line with Schefter, have been the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns, the Detroit Lions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, The New Orleans Saints, the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans.
The Packers initially submitted a rule proposal throughout April’s house owners assembly, however that vote was tabled — experiences have been it didn’t have the votes — with the plan to revisit it throughout this week’s Spring League Assembly in Minnesota.
On Monday, the Packers submitted a revised rule proposal that no offensive participant could be allowed to “push or pull a runner in any path at any time or raise him to his toes.” The modification additionally eliminated “”instantly on the snap” from the rule, broadening the proposal’s scope.
The explanations given for the rule proposal have been to enhance participant security and tempo of play, although proof is missing to assist that the play is harmful, as Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie identified final month.
“We’ve got little or no information from it, nevertheless it’s past information, there’s additionally the mechanism of damage that we examine, that kind of factor that leads us to point out the chance concerned with a selected play or a selected deal with. So these are issues that we did focus on,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed reporters then.
Folks have identified that the wording of the rule would even have banned combo blocking and pushing the pile.
Former Eagles heart Jason Kelce, who arguably bore the heaviest brunt of the play throughout his time on the Eagles’ offensive line, was in Minnesota this morning to foyer for conserving the play authorized.
Kelce clarified in his New Heights podcast that he’s going to dispel any arguments that the bodily toll of the play is a part of why he retired.
“Whoever votes to ban this play is taking legal responsibility for placing danger on our quarterbacks,” Lurie reportedly informed the house owners forward of the vote.
On Tuesday, Jordan Mailata and A.J. Brown each appeared nonplussed about the play being banned.
“When it comes to them banning the tush push, I hate that identify, so I hope they do ban it — it’s a silly identify,” Mailata joked.
The Eagles’ perceived reliance on the play was content material fodder for lots of the Birds’ upcoming opponents of their schedule reveals final week. Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu’s failed makes an attempt to thwart the play in final season’s NFC Championship Sport was featured within the crew’s “Rollercoaster Tycoon” impressed video, and he was on “Good Morning Soccer” this week calling it a “cheapo play.”
The play was utilized in about one-quarter of 1% of all performs final season, in line with ESPN Analysis, with the Eagles and Buffalo Payments utilizing and benefiting probably the most from it. The Birds transformed on the play 81.3% of the time final season, in comparison with 88.1% in 2023 and 92.3% in 2022, in line with the crew.