Will the NFL Ban the Tush Push? Roger Goodell Pushes Back on Controversial Reports

Every year there seems to be a play or an instant that the NFL latches on and either takes advantage of or tries to emulate. We have seen it be for something as simple as the ‘Griddy’ dance that everybody in the league seemed to be doing once they hit the end zone. However, in 2023 the thing that seems to be captivating the league for better or worse is the Tush Push.

The virtually unstoppable play that has been perfected by Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles has been the talk of the league this season. Many have tried to duplicate the success rate that the Eagles have, but to no avail. While the play itself seems to be the backbone of the Eagles’ offense, there seems to be a feeling that it may be going away next year.

There has even been a conversation that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is against the play with the idea that, when allowed to ban it, he would do so. However, the latest report is that may not be true after all.

Roger Goodell Pushes Back on Tush-Push Reports

The initial reports were that Goodell was not a fan of the Tush Push and that he would try and get it removed from the game as early as this offseason. However, according to an NFL executive, that seems not to be the case.

MORE: Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Shares Strong Stance on Eagles’ Tush Push

“NFL exec Jeff Miller says it’s not true that Roger Goodell is trying to ban the tush-push QB sneak. … Discussions about the play with the Competition Committee are likely to be discussed further in the offseason, but Goodell does not have a position on it.”

That seems to be a far different tune than what was being sung about the issue just last week, and while there is a lot of time between now and when a vote like this would be pushed forward, it still seems as if this will be a hot-button issue that is not going away anytime soon.

In or Out on the Tush Push?

Depending on what stance you take on the matter, you are surely to have support in that thought. It is a highly productive play that one specific team seems to do better than anyone else. That itself is not wrong at all, but what many have concerns with is the nature and the execution that goes into the play and what could happen to players as a result.

A league that is making player safety a priority does not seem like an entity that would turn a blind eye to something if there was actual proof or data of further risk. However, to date, there seem to be no injuries of record from the play, and the league may try and get proactive about the matter before it becomes an issue.

Either way that you look at it, it seems as if Goodell may not have a take on the matter right now with many months to go before it is brought to his desk. So as a result, the Tush Push lives on — for now.

Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!