NFL Owners to Vote on Rule Changes for Playoff Bracket Seeding, Possible Tush Push Ban

NFL owners are set to meet in Minneapolis and vote on a potential playoff system change as well as a ban to the "Tush Push," per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

The playoff proposal, brought forth by the Detroit Lions, would still grant automatic playoff berths to the four division winners in each conference and then the next-best three teams by win-loss record.

However, the seven playoff teams in each conference would then be seeded by win-loss record as opposed to the current system, which grants an automatic top-four seed to the division winner (plus at least one home playoff game).

The Green Bay Packers are proposing a ban to the Tush Push, a play made infamous and run quite successfully by the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The language states that an offensive player cannot “immediately at the snap, push or throw his body against a teammate, who was lined up directly behind the snapper and received the snap, to aid him in an attempt to gain yardage.”

The playoff format would represent a seismic shift from the current proceedings. Take the 2024 season, for example.

The Minnesota Vikings finished 14-3, but they ended up with the No. 5 seed after losing the NFC North to the 15-2 Detroit Lions. They lost to the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams, who went 10-7 during the regular season, in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Under the new system, Minnesota would have been the No. 3 seed and hosted a wild-card matchup. In addition, the 12-5 Washington Commanders, who fell to a No. 6 seed after losing the NFC East to the 14-3 Philadelphia Eagles, would have been a No. 4 seed and hosted a playoff game as well.

There are two sides to the debate. In short, changing the system as it stands would reward teams who finished with better records. At the same time, it somewhat cheapens division games and play. Winning the division has brought about a huge reward throughout all of NFL history, but that would change with this move.

As for the Tush Push, there's a rise among NFL people that it's not a football play. Some compared it more to a rugby play, as ESPN's Kalyn Kahler noted. At the same time, the Tush Push is getting such notoriety because the Eagles are nearly unstoppable while running it.

The other side of the coin is that teams should get better at stopping it. Banning the Tush Push would be punishing the Eagles for running a good play and executing it to perfection.

The owners will convene in Minneapolis from May 22-24 as part of their regular spring meetings. Any proposal will need three-quarters (24) of the 32 owners to vote in favor of them to go into effect.