Tush push is hottest topic at league meetings
Team owners, coaches and general managers have gathered at a posh resort to discuss several potential rule changes, including the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to eliminate a play that’s become a short-yardage staple for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
PALM BEACH, Fla. — The “tush push” is the hottest topic at the NFL’s annual meetings this week.
Team owners, coaches and general managers have gathered at a posh resort to discuss several potential rule changes, including the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to eliminate a play that’s become a short-yardage staple for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Packers cited player safety and pace of play as reasons for banning the tush push. NFL executive Troy Vincent said last month there have been zero injuries reported as a result of the play.
Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners.
Tampa Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles made it clear last month he wouldn’t support a ban.
“It’s a rugby element, but at the same time, when a team gets something that they’re good at, you gotta learn how to stop,” Bowles said. “I don’t think the first thing you can do is try to take it out of the ball game because that takes away the creativity of everybody trying to do everything else. So you gotta learn how to stop it. Until we learn how to stop it, they’re gonna continue. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
A vote on Green Bay’s proposal is expected Tuesday.
Other changes include making the dynamic kickoff rule permanent and overhauling the playoff format.
The NFL competition committee has recommended sticking with the kickoff rule that was redesigned last year and tweaking it to move touchbacks to the 35-yard line in hopes of generating even more returns.
The Detroit Lions proposed that playoff seeding should be based on record instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots.
The committee also proposed an expansion of instant replay to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles or tripping if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay would also be able to overturn a roughing the kicker or running into the kicker penalty if video replay showed the defender made contact with the ball.
