NFL Execs Discuss 'Tush Push' Ban If Refs Can't Officiate Play 'Fairly' amid Rumors

In the aftermath of the missed false starts when the Philadelphia Eagles were lined up to run the tush push against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, there's a feeling from NFL executives that the play could be on its way out after this season.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on SportsCenter (starts at 1:45 mark), one league executive said if refs can't officiate the play "fairly" going forward that "it probably hurts the chance" of the tush push avoiding being banned in 2026:

"League officiating sent a memo to all 32 teams this week letting them know that the Eagles' 'tush push' play featured some false starts from the guards and that the play needs to be officiated tightly moving forward. So, I checked in with two different teams, executives of teams who watched the film and read that memo. They said what's clear is that this play truly can be hard to officiate moving forward and that this is a big test in the coming weeks for the league. And then one exec pointed out, if you can't officiate this fairly moving forward it probably hurts the chances of the 'tush push' getting approved for another year because the league voted on it back in May. It was nearly banned, it was a 22-10 vote, they didn't get the majority so the play moves on, lives for another year. It's going to be a crucial couple of weeks for the tush push for momentum moving forward."

In a separate report from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, one NFL head coach is discouraged because it's getting extremely difficult to properly officiate the play.

"It's getting very sloppy and officials can't officiate it," the coach said. "They have to make sure no one is in the neutral zone and that no one moves before the ball. There are just a lot of missed calls on the play."

After an offseason where the tush push was one of the key storylines in the NFL, so much that owners voted on a proposal to ban it that fell two votes short of passing, it has already becoming a hot topic of discussion two weeks into the 2025 season.

Per Rob Maadi of the Associated Press, the NFL said in a training video sent to officials that the Eagles should have been flagged for at least one false start when they lined up to do the tush push in Week 2 against the Chiefs because right guard Tyler Steen moved early.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post reported on Thursday that the league wants officials to officiate plays like the tush push "tight" to "make sure that every aspect of the offensive team is legal" and any incorrect movement is flagged for a false start.

Given how tightly packed everyone is, including the offense and defense, when the Eagles line up for the tush push, it will be interesting to see going forward if the officials can even get an angle where they can see any early movement.

This is an issue that analysts have pointed out in previous years, but it appears the discussion about the tush push has gotten so loud that the NFL wants to make sure a potential missed call doesn't decide a game.

The Eagles have a marquee game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET with both teams off to a 2-0 start. Philadelphia defeated Los Angeles in the NFC Divisional Round last season en route to winning Super Bowl 59.