NFL receives no tush push ban
proposal this year after effort last year to ban it failed
[February 25, 2026]
By ROB MAADDI
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The tush push is still tough to stop, on and off
the field.
NFL executive Troy Vincent told reporters at the scouting combine
that no team submitted a proposal to ban the controversial
quarterback sneak before the deadline this year for clubs to propose
rule changes. The league could still explore modifying the rules
regarding pushing and pulling players.
The Philadelphia Eagles mastered the short-yardage strategy behind
the strong legs of quarterback Jalen Hurts and a powerful offensive
line. After the Eagles won the Super Bowl following the 2024 season,
the Green Bay Packers authored a rule change proposal to prohibit
offensive players from pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping or
encircling a runner, which would have effectively outlawed the tush
push. The ban was supported 22-10 among the league's 32 franchises,
failing to pass by two votes.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday at the combine
that the Packers had no plan to try to pursue another ban.
“And nobody’s reached out to us about doing it,” Gutekunst said.
The Eagles weren't as successful running the play in 2025 as they
were in previous seasons. They also ran some trick plays out of the
formation.
“I think there’s some things that teams did this year that they did
a good job of being able to stop it,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni
said. “We either have to get back to being able to be as dominant as
we were at it, or we find new avenues to be able to convert on third
down or in the red zone. That’s the fun part about the offseason is
to be able to go through those processes. You go through them during
the season, as well. And I think you saw us do some cool things off
of it, and you still want to be able to do them.”
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Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst speaks during a
press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in
Indianapolis, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The NFL instructed officials to crack down on false
starts out of the tight formation and there were complaints that
officiating the tush push was becoming too difficult. It appeared
momentum was building for a proposed ban again this offseason but
that hasn't happened.
There was a strong push last year from detractors to eliminate the
play for health and safety reasons, even though the NFL's data
showed no injuries on the play.
“Last year, we spent two hours on health and safety on the (tush
push) and then added 1,000 kickoffs,” said Broncos coach Sean
Payton, who is a member of the NFL's Competition Committee. “Which
play do you think is more of a health risk? I think if we ever
choose to move on from (the tush push), it won't be because of
health and safety. It'll just be like we don't like it, which is
OK."
Hall of Fame safety John Lynch, the 49ers general manager and also a
member of the competition committee, said about the play: “Maybe
it's kind of solving itself.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report.
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