5 NFL Teams Other Than the Eagles Who Should Consistently Run the Tush Push

As opponents on the Philadelphia Eagles' 2025 schedule figure out how to stop the tush push, a handful of teams should emulate it. If you can't ban the play, why not copy it?

At the recent NFL owners meetings, the Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the tush push and any other play that involves assisting a ball-carrier by pushing, pulling or lifting him fell short by two votes. 

Ten teams voted against the ban, and some of those clubs can take a page out of the Eagles' offensive playbook. 

Moreover, a few teams that voted to outlaw the play design can take advantage of opportunities to feature dynamic quarterbacks and stout offensive lines in short-yardage situations.

To execute the tush push or a play that resembles it, a team needs a stout offensive line to create room up the middle and a quarterback with the size or lower body strength to move within or through the pile of human bodies for a conversion.

Here are five clubs other than the Eagles that can implement the tush push or some variation of it in weekly game plans.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Peter Aiken

Bills QB Josh Allen

Like the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills have converted in short-yardage situations at a high rate over the last three years.

Fox Sports' Greg Auman noted that Bills quarterback Josh Allen recorded a higher conversion rate than his Philadelphia counterpart, Jalen Hurts, on third- or fourth-and-1 in back-to-back seasons:

"Give him credit for high volume: Hurts led the NFL with 22 conversions on third/fourth-and-1, but he went 22-for-27, which is a solid 81% conversion rate. Among NFL quarterbacks last year, however, Buffalo's Josh Allen went 17-for-18 (94%)...

"Allen edged Hurts in 2023 as well—24-for-27, compared to 23-for-27. Hurts gave the tush push its credibility in 2022, when he went 25-for-29 on third/fourth-and-1, with 10 more such conversions than any other player as the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl."

At 6'5", 237 pounds, Allen is tough to tackle in any situation. He's a strong, willing and sometimes reckless ball-carrier.

The three-time Pro Bowler has run for at least 524 yards in four consecutive campaigns, and he led the Bills in rush attempts for first downs (52) last season.

By the way, the burly signal-caller has registered 27 rushing touchdowns over the last two years, and 15 of those scores were within five yards of the goal line.

While Allen is the key playmaker in the Bills' short-yardage success, they also have a solid offensive line that remains intact from last year.

Even though the Bills voted for the tush push ban, they have run an effective variation with Allen under center.

Denver Broncos

C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images

Broncos QB Bo Nix

How does the Mile High Mush sound?

Well, the Denver Broncos can work on a clever name for their version of the tush push, though they have the personnel to execute in short down-and-distance situations and near the goal line.

The Broncos have continuity along their offensive line, which finished second in Pro Football Focus' 2024 rankings.

Last season, Bo Nix logged the fifth-most carries (92) among quarterbacks behind Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He finished with 430 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

At 6'2", 217 pounds, Nix has enough size to absorb contact and move forward in the scrums to convert on third- and fourth-and-1. Broncos head coach Sean Payton also trusts him in those situations.

According to Fox Sports' Greg Auman, the Oregon product converted on 12-of-14 third or fourth down rush attempts with one yard to go.

The Broncos have a running back platoon that includes rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey, Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin, but they don't have a proven red zone ball-carrier. For the 2024 season, the Broncos tied for 23rd in rushing touchdowns.

Estime, the biggest ball-carrier within the trio, only scored two rushing touchdowns last year. Harvey can bring a spark to the backfield, but he's 5'8", 205 pounds.

Payton may call Nix's number for short conversions a little more than last year if the running backs struggle to convert on third downs or find the end zone from the goal line.

Indianapolis Colts (If Anthony Richardson Starts)

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Colts QB Anthony Richardson

The Philadelphia Eagles popularized the tush push in 2022, so it's only right that Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen—the Eagles' offensive coordinator that year—runs the play with his current team.

Steichen doesn't have Philadelphia's offensive line, but his unit can get the job done if Anthony Richardson beats out Daniel Jones in a quarterback battle.

The Colts lost two key offensive linemen this offseason—center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries—but Tanor Bortolini had a decent rookie campaign as a spot starter at center in five games. As a swing tackle last year, Matt Goncalves earned solid run-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus.

If Richardson starts, his ball-carrying ability can make up for some issues in the offensive line's run-blocking scheme. Despite his inconsistencies as a pocket passer, he registered the highest rushing success rate (58.1 percent) of any Colts player with more than two carries last year. He finished sixth in carries (86) and rushing yards (499) among quarterbacks in 2024.

At 6'4", 244 pounds, the Florida product is slightly bigger than Josh Allen and resembles former NFL quarterback Cam Newton in stature. The 2015 NFL MVP logged 1,118 carries for 5,628 yards and 75 touchdowns in his 11-year career.

Richardson has a lot to work on in the passing game, but Steichen can feature him in critical plays on third and fourth downs and near the goal line.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Patriots QB Drake Maye

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New England Patriots were among the 10 teams that voted against the tush push ban.

Though their support for the Philadelphia Eagles doesn't indicate they will implement the play at a high frequency, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has recently featured a quarterback's ability as a ball-carrier.

In Cam Newton's 2020 term with the Patriots, he tied Damien Harris for a team-leading 137 carries and recorded far more rushing touchdowns (12) than any other player on the roster. The QB converted 10 of his 21 carries within five yards of the goal line into touchdowns.

For context, McDaniels had one of the league's worst pass-catching groups in 2020, and Newton was past his prime because of the wear and tear on his body. Jakobi Meyers led that team in catches (59) and receiving yards (729) with modest numbers for a No. 1 wideout.

Yet it's worth noting McDaniels' willingness to feature a big-bodied quarterback as a ball-carrier in his offense. He can do something similar with 6'4", 225-pound second-year signal-caller Drake Maye.

In body type, the North Carolina product looks like a slimmer version of Josh Allen. At his size, he can move on the ground. Last year, Maye recorded 54 carries for 421 yards and two touchdowns, with 22 rush attempts for first downs.

New England drafted TreVeyon Henderson in the second round, but he's more of a home run threat than a grinder equipped to rack up a ton of yards between the tackles and move the pile near the goal line. Because of Rhamondre Stevenson's past issues with fumbles, Maye could be the team's most effective option in short-yardage situations.

Pro Football Focus graded Garrett Bradbury as the league's 14th-best center in run blocking last year. If Mike Onwenu bounces back from a down year, Maye could move the chains behind a decent interior front line.

New York Jets

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Jets QB Justin Fields

Like the New England Patriots, the New York Jets voted against the tush push and the runner's assistance ban. It's noteworthy that they signed Justin Fields, who's been effective with the ball in his hands while on the move.

ESPN's Rich Cimini highlighted the 26-year-old's productivity on quarterback sneaks:

"Fields, one of the league's most dangerous running quarterbacks, has attempted 12 push sneaks in his career, converting 11 for first downs, per ESPN Research. Since 2021, only two quarterbacks have tried it more than Fields: Jalen Hurts (86-for-100) and Josh Allen (50-for-55)."

Fields could see an uptick in quarterback keepers on third- and fourth-and-1 behind an offensive line that features three first-round talents: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. Pro Football Focus graded John Simpson as the 13th-best guard in run blocking last season.

At center, the battle between Joe Tippmann and Josh Myers will have a major impact on any tush push-like play, though the Jets have the quarterback and talent across the front line to add the quarterback sneak as a staple in their offense.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.