A little over a month ago, efforts toward a league-wide rule that would essentially ban the short-yardage play that has, affectionately, come to be known as the “tush push” fell short — the Packers’ proposal reportedly failed 16-16 in a 32-team vote, and three-fourths (or 28) teams are required to pass a vote. According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, we could see a new motion pass later this month that would effectively ban the play. 
It’s believed that the Packers’ proposal was “narrowly configured and written,” aiming too directly at the Eagles (and Bills, who have also frequently utilized the play). It attempted to prohibit “an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap,” making the action worthy of a 10-yard penalty.
The new version of the proposal is currently unwritten, as it has not yet formally been modified, but it will move its focus towards pushing or pulling ball carriers anywhere on the field. While no injury data has really shown any direct harm from the play, NFL health and safety officials have repeatedly expressed injury-related concerns about it. This would potentially act as a reversal of a rule-change in 2006 that made it legal to push or pull players as part of a football play.
Obviously, this doesn’t apply to blocking and tackling situations, in which pushing and pulling are natural parts of the game. What this new wording could affect is plays in which a ball-carrier gets stood up by a defender but remains upright and another offensive player begins to push the two players up the field, sometimes resulting in a scrum that can surge forwards or backwards several yards. Plays like this have often been viewed as hustle plays, in which offensive linemen are lauded for churning out some extra yards, so it would be interesting to see such a play potentially become a penalty.
The play could also be linked to another league concern, and a play that has also seen several rule adjustments: field goal rushing. Some coaches have connected the new proposal to a previous rule-change that prohibits defensive players from pushing teammates to aid in attempting to block a field goal attempt. There’s a chance the new wording of the rule would prevent defenders from pushing or pulling any players they haven’t engaged with in either a block attempt or tackle attempt, meaning an offensive player couldn’t push a teammate into a defender to block them or a defensive player couldn’t push a teammate into a blocker or ball-carrier.
Such intricacies of a proposal like this are likely why it has not yet been formally changed, but there’s an expectation that it will be ready in time for the owners meeting in Minneapolis on May 20-21. Confidence that the proposal will pass this time around stems from a belief that the league office is in support of the rule-change, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Florio states that, if his sense that the league office wants to get rid of the maneuver is accurate, they might twist some arms in order to acquire the eight additional votes they need to pass the proposal.
3/4 of 32 is 28?
Mah 28 is 7/8 of 32. Maybe Ely was testing the stereotype about sports fans.
Don’t get me wrong – I hate the Eagles with a passion, but in what world does it make sense to ban that play?
This is dumb, the only thing wrong with the play is some teams aren’t good at it and they can’t stop it without a rule change.
End of the day NFL is an entertainment business and that play kills the entertainment value of short yardage high leverage situations.
Ahh yes cus punts are much more entertaining
And field goals as well.
You guys can disagree with it and not like it all you want but that’s why it’s on the chopping block.
The Eagles are toast if that play gets banned.
Ever seen S Barkley run the ball?
With a qb that squats 600 and that off line think they will be fine with qb sneak as is.. guess that will be banned next
We have a huge offensive line and three players behind it who squat 400+. I’m pretty sure we can convert without the tush push.
if it’s truly a “safety issue” .. all short yardage sneaks should be banned
No Fun League at it again
Oh come on. Teams should have to stop it if they don’t like it. Defensive tackles are getting paid enough now. And it’s not like it’s sweeping the league. The Giants tried it the other year and their center got injured.
Goodell keeps yapping and claiming it’s going to happen, but the reality is, you still need to sway 8 teams. Some seem like they’re willing to, but unless you give the rest a reason to, why should they?
The weird thing is how much “the league” supposedly wants this, when half the teams said no to it. Goodell serves at the behest of the owners – it’s weird that “the shield” would have a different view than many of the teams.
Banning this play is so soft. Proposed by someone who can’t make his wife happy.
Banning it is a bltch move
Period
End of debate
Eagles fan here
I’m fine with them banning the play… as long as they name it the Jalen Hurts Rule. Would be quite the feather in the cap for Jalen and the team that they became so elite at perfecting a legal rushing concept that a majority of the league voted to ban it. 😎
Come on Roger, Chiefs weren’t down by 40 in a SB because of this play.
Terrible precedent that will be punished by the birds completely dominate again in the NFC.
Im fine either way ban or no ban
But its always been stupid to say defenders cant shove each other in the back cause safety but then allow ppl to push the QB in the back for forward progress
You either let both sides of the ball do it or neither side can do it. Thats really the fair way to approach it.
Can you imagine how many more sacks say Aaron Donald would have had if a linebacker came up pushed him in the back adding more momentum to Donald obliterating the oline block in a second and heading straight for the QB faster?