NFL GM Expects Tush Push Rule Change Under the Guise of Player Safety, Says Insider

The future of the tush-push play will be under the spotlight during NFL owners meetings in the coming days, and at least one general manager in the league reportedly thinks the upcoming discussions will lead to a rule change.

"Yeah, there is at least some momentum," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said during an appearance on Sunday's SportsCenter. "So, here's the deal. In West Palm Beach, NFL owners are meeting today through Tuesday, they will vote on several issues around the league, including the Green Bay Packers' proposal that you cannot push a ball carrier immediately after the snap. I talked to one general manager in the league who believes this will be passed under the guise of player safety. 

"And so Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott, some others have mentioned that they think it's a play that they did you hurt more often than others in those scrums there in the tight action you see there, but teams are sort of split on whether that's really a thing or not right now. So, that would be debated hotly over the next few days. And look, in the end, owners need a 24 to eight majority vote to get this thing passed. 

"So, it's hardly a slam dunk, but there are enough people around the league that would like to see it changed, even though there could be some wiggle room for the Eagles to still get this play off, because the proposal says immediately after the snap. So, what if you wait a second after the snap and push? Also, the Eagles line is so good that I think they could get the play off without the push, so we'll see. I think they're going to still do it in some variation."

This comes after Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Friday there is some "momentum" toward banning the tush-push play the Philadelphia Eagles used so well on their way to the Lombardi Trophy last season:

That the GM who spoke to Fowler highlighted the "guise of player safety" is notable, as it gives teams opposed to the tush push being allowed an argument to make outside of just pointing to how difficult it is to stop.

Yet Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters last month he thinks health and safety concerns are "a little made up. … I can't remember one injury we had on that play and we ran it more than anybody else."

Philadelphia was seemingly unstoppable in short-yardage situations when Saquon Barkley would shove Jalen Hurts forward behind the team's formidable offensive line.

The play was a featured part of the recent Super Bowl title, as the Eagles scored against the Kansas City Chiefs using it after the Washington Commanders were warned during the NFC Championship Game to stop jumping offside in a futile attempt to stop it.

That other teams have not been as successful as Philadelphia in running it does make it seem like there is some element of attempting to ban something they cannot stop.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters last month, "I know we're not very successful against it, I know that. But to be honest with you, I have not put much thought into it. It's been around for a while. We've used it in different fashions with our tight end [Tucker Kraft]. I think there will be a lot of discussions about it. I've got to kind of look at some of the information as far as injury rates and things like that, but we'll see."

For now, it seems like the play might be banned or at least significantly changed, which is surely what the Packers wanted when they proposed as much.