The tush push will remain legal for the 2026 NFL season. That's the word from Rich McKay, the NFL competition committee's co-chairman, who said Sunday that he hasn't seen any team proposals to ban the controversial short-yardage play that's become synonymous with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Key Takeaways
- No team has submitted a proposal to ban the tush push for the 2026 season
- The Green Bay Packers' ban attempt last year fell short by just two votes
- The Eagles' success rate with the play dropped in 2025 compared to previous years
- Other teams have started experimenting with the play using different formations
Background
The tush push—also known as the Brotherly Shove—has been one of the most debated plays in football over the past two years. The Eagles perfected the technique, using it to gain important yards in short-yardage situations. It involves offensive players pushing a teammate who receives the snap directly behind the center, propelling them forward for a first down.
The play gained widespread attention because of its effectiveness. For years, the Eagles seemed nearly unstoppable when they lined up for the tush push. But that dominance made other teams angry. Coaches and general managers argued it gave Philadelphia an unfair advantage and raised questions about player safety.
Last year's debate was intense. In February 2025, the Packers directly targeted the play by proposing specific language to ban it. Their proposal called for a prohibition on offensive players immediately pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receiving the snap.
That initial proposal failed to gain enough support. The NFL requires 24 of 32 owners to approve rule changes. Only 16 supported the ban as written. The league tabled discussions at its March meeting, but the Packers didn't give up. They revised their proposal to more generally prohibit players from pushing all ball carriers, no matter where they were on the field. This revision essentially would have revived a rule that existed in the NFL until 2005.
The revised proposal came closer to passing. It failed by just two votes during the league's May 2025 meeting. That narrow margin led many to believe another attempt would come this year.
Key Details
"There's no team proposal that I've seen from it. So I wouldn't envision it. But you never know." – Rich McKay, NFL Competition Committee Co-Chairman
McKay made his comments following a day of meetings at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that sources cited the intensity and vitriol of last year's discussions as reasons why teams have backed away from pushing the issue again.
The play's effectiveness has also changed. The tush push was used 112 times across the NFL in 2025, slightly more than the 101 times it was used in 2024. But the Eagles and Bills, the two teams that primarily use it, saw their conversion rates drop. Teams made a first down 76.8% of the time in 2025 compared with 82% from 2022 to 2024.
The Eagles' decline was more dramatic. Their success rate fell from the elite 81 to 88% range in previous years to below 70% in 2025. Even Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts acknowledged the shift in November, saying the play was "becoming tougher and tougher" after Philadelphia lost a fumble attempting it in a game against the Chicago Bears.
Why the Play Became Harder to Execute
Defenses got smarter. Coaches studied the play and figured out how to counter it. Officiating also adjusted around false starts and forward progress, making it harder to gain those extra yards. The play went from looking unstoppable to looking like a high-execution short-yardage call that required elite timing and line play.
Other teams began experimenting with variations. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks started using tight ends rather than quarterbacks to take the snap, trying to recreate the Eagles' success. But they didn't match Philadelphia's results.
What This Means
For the Eagles, this is good news. The tush push remains part of their playbook for 2026. Whether new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will use it as much as previous coordinators remains to be seen, but the option is there.
The broader significance is that the NFL appears to have moved past this particular controversy. The fierce debate that dominated the 2025 offseason has cooled considerably. The combination of the play becoming less effective and the exhausting nature of last year's fight seems to have discouraged teams from revisiting the issue.
That doesn't mean the conversation is permanently closed. McKay himself acknowledged the uncertainty, saying "you never know" what might come up. But for now, the competition committee has little reason to push the topic forward at league meetings.
While there have been some subjective concerns about the safety of the play, the NFL has never publicized any health data to support those suspicions. Without a formal proposal submitted by a team, the committee has no obligation to revisit the rule.
The Eagles have consistently argued that the play's success stems from technique and roster construction rather than any loophole in the rulebook. That argument may have resonated more once defenses proved they could stop it with the right preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tush push?
The tush push is a short-yardage play where offensive players push a teammate who receives the snap directly behind the center, propelling them forward for a first down. The Philadelphia Eagles popularized the technique and used it with remarkable success for several years.
Why did teams want to ban it?
Teams argued the play gave the Eagles an unfair advantage because of its high success rate. There were also concerns about player safety, though the NFL never released data supporting those concerns. Coaches and general managers felt the play exploited a loophole in the rules.
Will the tush push ever be banned?
It's possible but unlikely in the near future. The play would need a proposal from a team and approval from 24 of 32 owners. Last year's attempt came within two votes of passing, but the narrow failure and exhausting debate seem to have discouraged another attempt for now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tush push?
The tush push is a short-yardage play where offensive players push a teammate who receives the snap directly behind the center, propelling them forward for a first down. The Philadelphia Eagles popularized the technique and used it with remarkable success for several years.
Why did teams want to ban it?
Teams argued the play gave the Eagles an unfair advantage because of its high success rate. There were also concerns about player safety, though the NFL never released data supporting those concerns. Coaches and general managers felt the play exploited a loophole in the rules.
Will the tush push ever be banned?
It’s possible but unlikely in the near future. The play would need a proposal from a team and approval from 24 of 32 owners. Last year’s attempt came within two votes of passing, but the narrow failure and exhausting debate seem to have discouraged another attempt for now.
