‘Tush Push’ may be outlawed by NFL

Is it the right call?

One of the NFL’s most controversial strategies, known as the “quarterback push,” may very well be on its way out ahead of the 2023 NFL regular season. Also called the “tush push”, the play allows a ball carrier to be propelled forward by the momentum of a fellow teammate, has been a key weapon for teams with mobile QBs under center, most notably the Philadelphia Eagles and Jalen Hurts.

With the Eagles utilizing this strategy on QB sneaks and goal line packages, the strategy has garnered much more attention from the NFL’s competition committee, who are expected to meet in the coming weeks to determine whether or not the push should remain legal under league rules. According to Dean Blandino, a former NFL referee and current rules expert for FOX, the “tush push” is a component of the sport that the league has grown unhappy with:

“It amounts to a rugby scrum. The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the competition committee is going to take a look at it.’’

The NFL has more rushing titans at the quarterback position than ever before in the league’s history, with Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, and the Giants’ own Daniel Jones leading a class of dual-threat weapons. While the Eagles would undoubtedly suffer the most from the push being outlawed, the rule will be one to monitor from New York’s perspective as well, especially with an inevitable Jones extension seeing the team commit to its signal-caller long term. While no ruling has been made, Blandino’s comments coupled with the competition committee’s upcoming meeting may spell the end for the controversial strategy.

Do you think this would be the right call? Let us know below: