NFL Owners Vote to Keep Tush Push Play Legal in Close 22-10 Decision

In a tight spring meeting vote at Eagan, Minnesota, NFL teams shot down the push play ban. The measure came up short by two votes, getting 22 instead of the needed 24.

The ban met resistance from ten NFL teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans.

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he was "pleased" with the outcome. Players can still push teammates during plays, keeping a rule from 2006 in place.

The Eagles have become experts at this strategy. They've run 108 push attempts, making up a third of the NFL's 316 total tries since 2022. Their 27 push-sneak touchdowns blow away other teams' numbers over three years.

While Buffalo shows promise with 11 touchdowns, the rest of the league lags behind. No other team has scored more than three times using this move.

Most teams rarely use this play - it made up just 0.28% of last year's plays. But Buffalo and Philadelphia ran more pushes than all other teams combined, reaching 163 attempts.

Teams that work on the play get better results. The Eagles and Bills convert 87% of their attempts into first downs or touchdowns, while others only succeed 71% of the time.

The Green Bay Packers tried to block all pushing or pulling of runners anywhere on the field, but their suggestion failed.

Two teams run by former Eagles staff went against their old team. Both Shane Steichen's Indianapolis Colts and Jonathan Gannon's Arizona Cardinals backed the ban.

Officials did tweak one rule - teams that are behind can now try onside kicks from one yard closer.

The issue heated up after the NFC Championship, when the Commanders sparked discussion by repeatedly jumping offsides to stop the Eagles' push play.