The Packers’ proposal to ban the Tush Push/Brotherly Shove is official.
Over the last few years, the Eagles have perfected their version of the quarterback sneak, which includes an element of pushing the quarterback from behind. This rule change proposal would take that element out of the play.
Here’s the full wording of the proposal:
Here's the official rule-change proposal from Green Bay to ban the Tush Push, citing player safety and pace of play. It would take 24 of 32 votes to change the rule. pic.twitter.com/jlfFXlhINd
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) March 19, 2025
NFL owners will vote on rule change proposals later this month in Palm Beach, Florida, at the annual league meetings. It would take 24 of 32 votes to change any rule. Last month at the NFL Combine, the sense was that this particular proposal wouldn’t have enough support, but we’ll see.
The proposal from Green Bay cites “player safety” and “pace of play.” But the NFL has released its data from the 2024 season, saying zero players were injured from the play in the last season. And without a legitimate player safety concern, it’s difficult to imagine the play in this form being banned.
Last month, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni spoke strongly about the Brotherly Shove.
“I think when you look at that, because we've looked into that too, there weren’t a lot of injuries there,” Sirianni said. “I think that's a little made up, to be honest. Now the numbers will tell the truth, but I don't think there were many injuries with it this year.
“I mean, I can't remember one injury we had on that play, and we ran it more than everybody else. And so, yeah, the injury numbers, the league will have that, and the injury numbers will come out on that, and I'm all for player safety, but I don't think that that play (is dangerous). I think that's just something that was said.”
Sirianni also said it’s insulting to hear the Tush Push called an “automatic play” because of how hard they have worked to perfect it. Other teams have not been nearly as successful with it.
Eagles propose a change
The Eagles have also proposed a rule change for the 2025 season that would extend the NFL’s overtime rules in the playoffs to the regular season, “by granting both teams an opportunity to possess the ball regardless of the outcome of the first possession, subject to a 15-minute overtime period in the regular season.”
Basically, this rule would create a 15-minute overtime in the regular season with both teams given the chance to possess the ball even if the first team scores a touchdown.
This proposal has a chance to pass as NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent has said the NFL’s competition committee agrees that OT rules need to be revamped.
Other proposals
• The Detroit Lions proposed a rule change that would eliminate automatic first downs for defensive holding or illegal contact, saying the current penalty enforcement is “too punitive for the defense.”
• The Lions also proposed a bylaw change that would change the playoff seeding format to allow Wild Card teams to be seeded higher than division winners. For example, both NFC Wild Card teams in 2024 (Vikings, Commanders) had better records than the winners of the NFC South and NFC West.
• The Lions were busy. They also proposed a bylaw change that would exclude players put on IR before or on the day of roster reduction to 53 from the 90-man roster unless the player is designated for return.
