PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Banning the “tush push” is gaining momentum.
Still, it’ll take 24 of 32 votes to eliminate a play that’s become a short-yardage staple for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
NFL team owners, coaches and general managers are considering several potential rule changes at this week’s league meetings. Nothing has garnered more attention than Philadelphia’s version of the quarterback sneak.
The Green Bay Packers issued the proposal to ban it, citing player safety and pace of play.
Although NFL executive Troy Vincent said last month there have been zero injuries reported as a result of the play, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott, a member of the NFL’s competition committee, is leading the push to get rid of it.
“I feel where I’m most concerned is, even though there is not significant data out there to this point, my biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost,” McDermott said on Monday. “It’s two things. It’s force, added force, No. 1, and then the posture of the players, being asked to execute that type of play, that’s where my concern comes in. … I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to get too deep into that situation there, in terms of how much data, how much sample. I don’t think that’s really always the best way to go. There is other data out there that suggests when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about, that can lead to serious injury. I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who watched Jalen Hurts score on a tush push to kick off Philadelphia’s 40-22 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl, sounded as if he might be on board with McDermott.
“Tough play to stop but then you’re listening to that and the medical side and you probably could go either way with it,” Reid said. “But I would say if it’s putting a player in a bad position, then you probably have to do something about it. But if it’s not, it’s a heck of a play.”
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who is also a member of the competition committee, wanted to hear more about the safety concerns.
“I think the first time I saw it, I couldn’t believe that it was legal because it was illegal on the field goal,” Tomlin said. “That being said, you hate to be against it because when people are innovative, you want to respect that. And so there’s certainly been some teams that have been more innovative than the rest of us in that regard. And you hate to penalize them for that. But again, we got into the discussion on the field goal block because of player safety. And so that’s still remains to be a component of the discussion.”
Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said they don’t want the play banned.
“It’s tough to punish a team for being really good at something,” Ryans said.
Tampa Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles made it clear last month he wouldn’t support a ban, either.
Other changes include making the dynamic kickoff rule permanent and overhauling the playoff format.
The NFL competition committee has recommended sticking with the kickoff rule that was redesigned last year and tweaking it to move touchbacks to the 35-yard line in hopes of generating even more returns.
The Detroit Lions proposed that playoff seeding should be based on record instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots.
“I’m a division purist,” Tomlin said.
The committee also proposed an expansion of instant replay to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles or tripping if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay would also be able to overturn a roughing the kicker or running into the kicker penalty if video replay showed the defender made contact with the ball.