NFL Owners Expected to Ban Tush Push Starting 2025

The NFL is set to ban the 'tush push' quarterback sneak starting in 2025, a move driven by the league's competition and players' health and safety committees despite limited evidence of increased injury risk. The play, popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, has been highly effective in short-yardage situations, leading to controversy and accusations that jealousy of the Eagles' success partly motivated the ban. Bills head coach Sean McDermott, a member of the competition committee, supported the ban citing precautionary health concerns, while Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman publicly contested the decision, arguing the play is safe and effective. The proposed rule change has undergone revisions in wording but fundamentally aims to outlaw this specific tactic, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly supporting the ban due to the play's predictable and unaesthetic nature. Critics, including sports commentator Brandon London, argue that banning the tush push is a mistake, suggesting the league is yielding to unnecessary complaints. Despite the ban, analysts note that teams like the Eagles will still find ways to succeed with quarterback sneaks even without the tush push.