Dating back to the 2022 NFL season, one of the league’s most surprising storylines has been the emergence of the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback sneak — often referred to as the “tush push” or the “brotherly shove” — and some calls to ban the play.
Now it appears Roger Goodell is taking a stand, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reporting that the NFL commissioner “wants to see this play removed from the game permanently.”
According to Russini, the play — in which players line up behind Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and help push him forward — is expected to be “heavily debated” by the NFL’s competition committee, which consists of owners, general managers and coaches from across the league.
Russini noted that while the Eagles don’t currently have a representative on the competition committee, each of their NFC East division rivals has a representative currently on the committee, including New York Giants owner John Mara, Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.
While there hasn’t been any data indicating that the play has resulted in a noticeable uptick in injuries, the optics — as well as the play’s unstoppable nature in short yardage situations — could result in it being banned as early as the 2024 season. While that decision will come down to a vote, Goodell’s opinion on the matter certainly looms large.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.