Report: NFL Officials 'Have Lost Their Minds Searching for Penalties' with Tush Push

The NFL is reportedly considering banning the so-called "tush push" next season, and it seems the momentum to ban the play has seeped into the officials.

One former NFL head coach told Mike Sando of The Athletic that officials have "lost their minds" trying to find penalties on the play. One such call was made Saturday night when referees called Denver Broncos offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz for being offsides, negating a touchdown run by Russell Wilson on a tush-push play.

Meinerz did not appear to be noticeably offsides on the play—and if he was, it was certainly within a margin of reasonable error.

The penalty led to a wild blow-up on the Denver sidelines that saw coach Sean Payton screaming in Wilson's face. Payton told reporters after the game that his tirade was about officiating, even if it was directed at his quarterback.

"I was upset about the call," Payton said. "That's all. Simple."

The tush-push play, which sees multiple players stand behind their quarterback and help propel him forward in short-yardage situations, has been one of the season's biggest controversies. It was popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles and then co-opted by many others in the league, though those teams run it at a lesser success rate.

Akin to a rugby scrum, some critics have wondered whether the play has any place in football. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants the play banned, though he has refuted that claim in public comments.

"I haven't taken a position on that one," Goodell told reporters. "Last year the committee had a lot of different views on that, the membership did. I want to hear that again this year. I want to hear how people feel about it."

The NFL Competition Committee is set to discuss the tush push this offseason. The league chose not to take an action on it ahead of the 2023 campaign.