The Green Bay Packers have submitted a proposal to ban the “tush push” play that has been made popular by the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL has confirmed. The news comes after NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said last month that one team had tabled a motion to ban the play; however, he didn’t reveal the team. The Athletic later reported that the Packers, who were eliminated by the Eagles in the playoffs this past season, issued the proposal to the league's competition committee. The Packers are looking to amend Rule 12 in Section 1 of the NFL’s rule book, which refers to the use of hands and arms while blocking. Green Bay’s proposal involves prohibiting “an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap.” The NFL opted against banning the play last offseason; however, they added a rule that instructs the "pushers" to start at least 1 yard behind the quarterback. The play, which involves a player pushing the quarterback forward on a quarterback sneak, has had a 90% success rate since Philadelphia started using it in 2022. The Eagles deployed the play to score their first touchdown during their 40-22 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Another reason why the “tush push” has come under scrutiny is the potential for increased injuries; however, Vincent said that the league’s internal data revealed a 0% injury rate on the play. NFL owners will vote on the proposal at their annual meeting, which begins March 30, with 24 of the 32 owners needing to vote in favor of the motion in order for it to be implemented.
