PHILADELPHIA — The National Football League will take no action to ban the Philadelphia Eagles' infamous "Tush Push" play this offseason, according to multiple reports.
The league's competition committee is putting together proposals to be voted upon at next week's owners meetings.
But NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said this week there will be no proposal presented to ban the controversial quarterback sneak play, which the Eagles have used to great effect with Jalen Hurts and its dominant offensive line over the last two seasons.
In a call with media members on Thursday, Vincent said there was no injury data to support a change from the league, which is an argument that many of the play's detractors used during the season to support a ban.
“After lengthy discussions … leave it alone," Vincent said in one report of the call. "The Eagles do it well.”
And just because the Eagles have been more successful than other teams in running the play, that's no reason to outlaw it, Vincent reportedly added.
That's bad news for many members of NFL media, who spent much of last season complaining about the play.
Long-time NFL reporter Peter King, the former author of NBC Sports' weekly "Football Morning in America" column before his retirement earlier this year, is on record calling for the NFL to ban the play, describing it as "an abomination" that belongs in rugby, not the NFL.
FOX Sports reporter Nick Wright has been a vocal critic of the play since the 2022 season and issued a renewed call to ban it during this past season as well.
ESPN's Louis Riddick, a former member of the Eagles' front office until his contract wasn't renewed in 2013, posted a call to ban the play on X during the Eagles' 23-14 victory over the Rams —but quickly deleted the post after drawing heavy return fire from angry Eagles fans.
What is the "Tush Push?"
Whenever the Eagles are in a short-yardage situation on third or fourth down—roughly 1-2 yards—they tightly pack their offensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and move Hurts under center. Two other players—usually a tight end, a big-bodied receiver like A.J. Brown or a running back—line up behind Hurts in the backfield, flanked on either side of him.
When the ball is snapped, the Eagles' three interior linemen blast forward and try to get their shoulder pads lower than those of the opposing defenders, while Hurts surges forward behind them.
The two players behind Hurts then charge ahead and give their quarterback an extra shove, helping to propel him through the scrum on the line of scrimmage.
Next season, the Eagles will likely have to adapt their approach to the play anyway, since center Jason Kelce has retired. Cam Jurgens, who started at guard last year, will take over snapping the ball for the Birds, but a new configuration of the line will be necessary.
But even with a new line doing the blocking, it's unlikely the Eagles will stop running the play. So, as Pro Football Talk said this week, "if opposing teams want to stop it, they need to leave that to their defense -- and not expect an NFL rule change."