NFL competition committee co-chair says Tush Push ban attempt unlikely - GEAR MAG

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NFL competition committee co-chair says Tush Push ban attempt unlikely

NFL competition committee co-chair says Tush Push ban attempt unlikely

One year ago, the conversation around a potential"Tush Push" banwas one of the biggest stories of the offseason.

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This year, theNFL's competition committeehasn't heard a peep about a new proposal to ban the play, a quarterback sneak that also involves one or more other players pushing the ball carrier from behind.

"There's no team proposal that I've seen from it," league competition committee co-chair Rich McKay said at the NFL combine. "So, I wouldn't envision it. But you never know."

The 2025 NFL season saw a year-over-year uptick in attempts but a decline in theeffectiveness of the Tush Pushafter its dominance in short yardage situations over the previous three years.

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<p style=Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 1: The New England Patriots' Robert Spillane (14) and Christian Elliss (53) tackle Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders won the game, 20-13. Week 1: New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (3) fumbles the ball on a tackle by Washington Commanders safety Will Harris (3) during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. It was a rough Giants debut for Wilson (17 of 37 passing for 168 yards) as the Commanders won the game, 21-6. Week 1: Fireworks go off before the NFL Kickoff Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the season with a 24-20 victory over their longtime NFC East rivals.

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

There were 112 Tush Push attempts in 2025, per ESPN, after a 2024 season that featured 101 attempts to run the play. ThePhiladelphia EaglesandBuffalo Billsled the way with 27 and 17 Tush Push attempts, respectively, in 2025.

Teams converted a first down on 76.8% of Tush Push attempts in 2025, according to ESPN, a notable dip from the 82% conversion rate on the play between 2022 and 2024.

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In September, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that there was "no guarantee" for another attempt to ban the quarterback sneak play. The ESPN insider wrote that the conversation surrounding the Tush Push ban last offseason was heated and emotional, meaning the league's owners might decide to hold off on further discussion for another year.

Last year, theGreen Bay Packers' proposal to ban the Tush Push ultimately fell two votes shy of the requisite 24 votes needed to institute the ban. The proposal would have re-established the NFL rule that existed until 2005, which banned other players from pushing ball carriers regardless of where they were on the field.

TUSH PUSH BAN:NFL fails to ban the Philadelphia Eagles' QB sneak play

At the time, Green Bay and other teams that supported the Tush Push ban cited player safety among primary concerns for keeping the play permissible.

FormerEaglescenter Jason Kelce, who was an advocate for keeping the Tush Push legal, spoke at last year's owners meeting to share his perspective on the safety of the play.

"There was a narrative out there that one of the reasons I retired was because of the play, or that I somehow felt like the play led to more injuries or was injured because of it," Kelce said in an episode of his "New Heights" podcast last May. "So I was really just there to offer my perspective on that stuff not being true and the fact that I think it's a relatively safe play."

The NFL has not publicly shared any data regarding the health of players surrounding the Tush Push.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tush Push ban in 2026? Why NFL rule-changers say it's unlikely