The tush push debate was the main focus at the NFL’s annual league meeting earlier this week as the Green Bay Packers made a proposal to ban the Philadelphia Eagles’ highly effective play.
According to ESPN, the Eagles have scored 27 touchdowns and recorded 92 first downs on the tush push over the last three seasons with Jalen Hurts under center. During last year’s Super Bowl run, the play accounted for 11 scores and 32 first downs.
Packers team president Mark Murphy claims they proposed the ban because of player safety. However, during a question-and-answer session on Green Bay’s website in February, Murphy didn’t mention injuries.
“There is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less,” Murphy wrote. “He advocated for reverting to the previous version of the rule that prohibited aiding the runner. That rule changed to allow pushing ball carriers in 2005, with then-NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira citing difficulty in officiating it as a reason for the switch.”
Murphy added: “This would bring back the traditional QB sneak. That worked pretty well for Bart Starr and the Packers in the Ice Bowl.”
The proposal was eventually tabled as only 16 owners voted to ban it — eight short of the 24 votes needed for it to pass. The Packers will likely revise the wording of the proposal to gain more owner support ahead of the next league meeting in May.
Prior to the vote, NFL insiders say that Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni “quietly threatened” three former assistants to back the tush push.
NFL insiders claim Sirianni acted like ‘mob boss’
During “The MMQB NFL Podcast,” Sports Illustrated NFL insiders Albert Breer and Conor Orr pointed out that Sirianni made sure former Eagles assistants Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals head coach), Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts head coach), and Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints head coach) supported the tush push play.
Sirianni previously told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo: “All I will say about it is Gannon, Steichen and Moore better vote for it. They are in the (head coach) position right now because of that play. So all three, I better have those three votes right there and the Eagles’ vote. I at least know we have four.”
Spoke to Nick Sirianni today on the tush-push vote. With a grin, he said: "We’ll see how it goes. All I will say about it is (Jonathan) Gannon, (Shane) Steichen and (Kellen) Moore better vote for it. They are in the (head coach) position right now because of that play. So all… pic.twitter.com/aZBV4KHzPq
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 30, 2025
“How great is it that Nick Sirianni quietly threatens three of his former assistants before the votes and says that this play got them their jobs so they better vote for it,” said Orr tongue-in-cheek.
Breer jokingly added: “That is like a subtle mob boss threat.”
🎙️🎙️ 4.3 Pod! 🎙️🎙️
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 3, 2025
On our first Thirsty Thursday edition 🍻 (we're still working on the title), @ConorOrr and I break down all the rules changes from the meetings—with the @Eagles playing mob boss—and then dive into draft talk.
Download AND subscribe: https://t.co/dSU3KnOJzm pic.twitter.com/96lXZfgcSD
At least for now, the Eagles will still be able to use the tush push — better known as the “Brotherly Shove” among Birds fans. However, the team will have to await what happens in May and if the Packers are able to sway more owners to their side.
