When it comes to the controversial “tush push,” Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has a simple philosophy — stop it on the field, don’t ban it.
Campbell spoke to reporters this week at the league’s annual meetings, offering some resistance to the proposal that would ban the assisted quarterback sneak. The Philadelphia Eagles have used the play to great success — and the Buffalo Bills, to a lesser extent — but Campbell said it’s not a play he would use with quarterback Jared Goff.
Regardless, Campbell said he does not agree with the proposal to ban the move and said it’s up to opposing teams to find a way to stop it on the field.
Dan Campbell: ‘Good for Them’
Campbell said he applauds teams like the Eagles who have found a way to perfect the play and believes it is his job as a head coach to counter it.
“Philly’s obviously known for this because they’re the ones who’ve really kind of perfected it and done it and do it over and over, and I’m like, ‘Hey, good for them, man,’” Campbell said, via The Athletic. “If you got something, we gotta stop it. So, to me, leave it in. We play them this year, we gotta find a way to stop it. I like that.”
Other coaches have expressed support for the proposal ban the play, including Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who sits on the league’s rules committee. Even though the Bills use the play the most of any team outside the Eagles, McDermott has raised concerns about what he believes is a heightened injury risk on the play.
Campbell admitted that he won’t be using the “tush push,” but still said he does not want to see it banned.
“Look, we don’t run that, right?” Campbell said. “Jared Goff, we’re not gonna — it doesn’t mean we don’t quarterback sneak, but we don’t do that. But I am of the school that, hey, they found something and it’s up to everybody else to stop it. I’m a hard yes.”
‘Tush Push’ Discisson Continues
As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported, the “tush push” ban is still lacking the proper support to pass. A total of 16 teams were in support of the ban, but the NFL’s bylaws require that 24 teams vote in support of a rule change.
The proposal was instead tabled and is expected to be picked up again at the league’s meetings in May. The report noted that the league does not want to see rule changes aimed at specific teams, but opponents are painting it as the reinstatement of a longstanding rule.
“But committee chairman Rich McKay said last week, and reiterated Tuesday, that the league generally frowns on rule changes that target one or two teams,” the report noted. “The NFL prohibited players from pushing ball carriers for much of its history before changing its rules to allow it in 2005, citing the difficulty of officiating it. During Tuesday’s meeting, McKay said, the Packers offered to change the focus on potentially reinstating the historic rule.”
