On Wednesday, the NFL opted to not ban the tush push. The proposal, initially submitted by the Inexperienced Bay Packers, was aimed to disallow the play made common by the Philadelphia Eagles during which quarterback Jalen Hurts would run a quarterback sneak in a short-yardage state of affairs and have a participant or two (usually from the backfield) push him from behind to achieve further energy.
Nonetheless, the proposal—even after current changes—didn’t get the homeowners they wanted (24 of 32 is required to cross a brand new rule) to comply with the rule change. Per experiences, the ultimate vote was 22-10, which means the tush push will stay a authorized play for the 2025 NFL season.
Whereas that is clearly a win for the Eagles, it’s additionally a win for the Detroit Lions. Check out the rule proposal because it was written—the bolded elements point out the adjustments that may have been made.
ARTICLE 4. ASSISTING THE RUNNER AND INTERLOCKING INTERFERENCE.
No offensive participant could:
(a) push or pull a runner in any course at any time or raise him to his ft;
(b) use interlocking interference by greedy a teammate or by utilizing his fingers or arms to encircle the physique of a teammate in an effort to dam an opponent; or
(c) push or throw his physique towards a teammate to help him in an try to hinder an opponent or to recuperate a free ball; or
(d) help the runner besides by individually blocking opponents for him.
Whereas the Eagles’ frequent use of the tush push would have been most impacted by this rule change, the Lions would have been impacted, too. There are two notable performs from the Detroit Lions’ 2024 season that may’ve been thought-about unlawful beneath the proposed ban.
The primary, David Montgomery’s iconic run that concerned him getting an additional 7 yards or so after actually getting lifted and shoved by his teammates:
Moreover, in Detroit’s rout of the Jaguars, Penei Sewell gave Montgomery slightly further shove that helped escort the working again into the tip zone. That will’ve include a 10-yard penalty had this decision handed.
The Lions are a bodily soccer crew that’s all about overpowering and outworking the opponent. Their offensive line is important to what they do, and that usually leads to gaining an additional 4-5 yards per play by pushing scrums of gamers in the proper course. Due to the failure of the tush push ban, the Lions can proceed to try this.
It comes as no shock that the Lions have been reportedly one of many 10 groups who voted towards its ban.
“Philly’s clearly identified for this as a result of they’re those who’ve actually sort of perfected it and completed it and do it time and again, and I’m like, ‘Hey, good for them, man.’ In case you obtained one thing, we gotta cease it,” Lions coach Dan Campbell mentioned on the homeowners conferences in April. “So to me, depart it in. We play them this yr, we gotta discover a technique to cease it. I like that.”
So whereas Eagles followers are undoubtedly celebrating this ruling, be at liberty to get excited by yourself. That is good for the Lions—and likewise embarrassing for the Packers. That’s referred to as a win-win.
