NFL Owners Vote to Keep Controversial “Tush Push”

This past week, the NFL officially voted on the highly debated play known as the "tush push." Created by the Philadelphia Eagles, the play has sparked league-wide discussion regarding its practicality and its impact on the integrity of the game of football. In order for the league to ban the play, 24 out of 32 NFL teams were required to vote in favor of its removal. Ultimately, the vote failed to pass—but not by much—as the play received 22 votes in favor of its removal.

Now, a few days after the vote, we have confirmation of which teams voted each way. The 10 teams that voted in favor of the play include the following: Eagles, Patriots, Ravens, Jaguars, Browns, Lions, Dolphins, Jets, Titans, and Saints. It comes as no surprise that the Eagles would want to keep the play in regulation, as they have all but mastered it at an elite level. Nobody runs the play like they do, boasting a staggering 82.4% success rate in 2024.

I, for one, can see why some teams wanted this play removed. In essence, the play is far from glorious; it is a glorified scrum that many consider unethical to the game of football for that reason. On the flip side, however, the play is something that can be executed by every team in the NFL. The idea that it is something only the Eagles have in their arsenal is simply foolish and stems from their being better than everyone else at it.

This upcoming season, I am sure it will be a widely debated topic yet again, with the Eagles surely positioned to maximize its full potential in their quest to repeat as champions. It would not shock me if the league has to vote on the play again next offseason if fans and team officials view it as detrimental to the sport. At the same time, I could see it spreading like wildfire, effectively becoming a staple of every playbook—much like the QB sneak. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see how teams react in the coming months as we prepare to kick off an exciting 2025 NFL season.