Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Supreme Court Lifts Order That Blocked Trump’s Mass Federal Layoffs

17 hours ago

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

17 hours ago

Trump Says Pharmaceutical Tariffs Could Reach 200%

17 hours ago

Rescue Teams Find Three More Bodies After Central Texas Floods

18 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rigoberto Simental Aguilar

18 hours ago

Trump Says He Is Not Happy With Russia’s Putin, Considering Sanctions

18 hours ago

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Be Sentenced on October 3

18 hours ago

Israeli Military Says It Struck Key Hamas Figure in Lebanon’s Tripoli

18 hours ago

Madera County Sheriff Logs 29 Fire-Related Calls on Fourth of July, Most in 5 Years

19 hours ago

Trump Says He May Take Over Governance of Washington, DC

19 hours ago
Tush Push Is the Hottest Topic at the NFL League Meetings
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 months ago on
March 31, 2025

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the goal line Tush Push play during the NFL championship playoff football game against the Washington Commanders, Jan. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Banning the “tush push” is gaining momentum.

Still, it’ll take 24 of 32 votes to eliminate a play that’s become a short-yardage staple for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

NFL team owners, coaches and general managers are considering several potential rule changes at this week’s league meetings. Nothing has garnered more attention than Philadelphia’s version of the quarterback sneak.

Packers Propose Ban

The Green Bay Packers issued the proposal to ban it, citing player safety and pace of play.

Although NFL executive Troy Vincent said last month there have been zero injuries reported as a result of the play, Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott, a member of the NFL’s competition committee, is leading the push to get rid of it.

“I feel where I’m most concerned is, even though there is not significant data out there to this point, my biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost,” McDermott said on Monday. “It’s two things. It’s force, added force, No. 1, and then the posture of the players, being asked to execute that type of play, that’s where my concern comes in. … I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to get too deep into that situation there, in terms of how much data, how much sample. I don’t think that’s really always the best way to go. There is other data out there that suggests when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about, that can lead to serious injury. I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who watched Jalen Hurts score on a tush push to kick off Philadelphia’s 40-22 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl, sounded as if he might be on board with McDermott.

“Tough play to stop but then you’re listening to that and the medical side and you probably could go either way with it,” Reid said. “But I would say if it’s putting a player in a bad position, then you probably have to do something about it. But if it’s not, it’s a heck of a play.”

Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Asks for More Information

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who is also a member of the competition committee, wanted to hear more about the safety concerns.

“I think the first time I saw it, I couldn’t believe that it was legal because it was illegal on the field goal,” Tomlin said. “That being said, you hate to be against it because when people are innovative, you want to respect that. And so there’s certainly been some teams that have been more innovative than the rest of us in that regard. And you hate to penalize them for that. But again, we got into the discussion on the field goal block because of player safety. And so that’s still remains to be a component of the discussion.”

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said they don’t want the play banned.

“It’s tough to punish a team for being really good at something,” Ryans said.

Tampa Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles made it clear last month he wouldn’t support a ban, either.

Other changes include making the dynamic kickoff rule permanent and overhauling the playoff format.

The NFL competition committee has recommended sticking with the kickoff rule that was redesigned last year and tweaking it to move touchbacks to the 35-yard line in hopes of generating even more returns.

The Detroit Lions proposed that playoff seeding should be based on record instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots.

“I’m a division purist,” Tomlin said.

The committee also proposed an expansion of instant replay to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles or tripping if there was “clear and obvious” evidence that a foul didn’t occur. Replay would also be able to overturn a roughing the kicker or running into the kicker penalty if video replay showed the defender made contact with the ball.

Abu Dhabi

NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said the league is considering potentially playing a game in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

“We have more work to do there,” O’Reilly said.

The NFL will play seven international games in five countries this upcoming season. The league is returning to Brazil, Mexico, Germany and England while Ireland is set to host its first regular-season game. The NFL previously announced a multiyear commitment to play regular-season games in Melbourne, Australia, beginning in 2026.

Flex Schedule

NFL owners approved flexing Sunday games to Thursday night with 21 days’ notice. Only one game was flexed over the past two seasons when teams had to be informed with 28 days’ notice.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Woman Sentenced to Prison for DUI Crash That Killed One, Injured Three

DON'T MISS

Union Files Ethics Complaint After College Chancellor’s ‘Goddaughter’ Receives $161K In Contracts

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect Tied to 2 Shootings, Firearm Recovered

DON'T MISS

Are Former Measure C Execs Pushing Their Own Ballot Measure?

DON'T MISS

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Near New Cuyama Grows to 80,615 Acres, 35% Contained

DON'T MISS

US Justice Department Scrambles to Defend Its About-Face on Release of Epstein Files

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Lifts Order That Blocked Trump’s Mass Federal Layoffs

DON'T MISS

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Pharmaceutical Tariffs Could Reach 200%

DON'T MISS

Rescue Teams Find Three More Bodies After Central Texas Floods

UP NEXT

Union Files Ethics Complaint After College Chancellor’s ‘Goddaughter’ Receives $161K In Contracts

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect Tied to 2 Shootings, Firearm Recovered

UP NEXT

Are Former Measure C Execs Pushing Their Own Ballot Measure?

UP NEXT

US Justice Department Scrambles to Defend Its About-Face on Release of Epstein Files

UP NEXT

US Supreme Court Lifts Order That Blocked Trump’s Mass Federal Layoffs

UP NEXT

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

UP NEXT

Trump Says Pharmaceutical Tariffs Could Reach 200%

UP NEXT

Rescue Teams Find Three More Bodies After Central Texas Floods

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rigoberto Simental Aguilar

UP NEXT

Trump Says He Is Not Happy With Russia’s Putin, Considering Sanctions

Are Former Measure C Execs Pushing Their Own Ballot Measure?

15 hours ago

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Near New Cuyama Grows to 80,615 Acres, 35% Contained

16 hours ago

US Justice Department Scrambles to Defend Its About-Face on Release of Epstein Files

16 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lifts Order That Blocked Trump’s Mass Federal Layoffs

17 hours ago

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

17 hours ago

Trump Says Pharmaceutical Tariffs Could Reach 200%

17 hours ago

Rescue Teams Find Three More Bodies After Central Texas Floods

18 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rigoberto Simental Aguilar

18 hours ago

Trump Says He Is Not Happy With Russia’s Putin, Considering Sanctions

18 hours ago

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Be Sentenced on October 3

18 hours ago

Fresno Woman Sentenced to Prison for DUI Crash That Killed One, Injured Three

A 23-year-old Fresno woman was sentenced Tuesday to more than a decade in state prison for a 2021 drunk driving crash that killed one passen...

13 hours ago

13 hours ago

Fresno Woman Sentenced to Prison for DUI Crash That Killed One, Injured Three

14 hours ago

Union Files Ethics Complaint After College Chancellor’s ‘Goddaughter’ Receives $161K In Contracts

Jershawn Worthy was identified as the suspect in two Fresno shootings and is now facing multiple firearm-related charges. (Fresno PD)
14 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect Tied to 2 Shootings, Firearm Recovered

15 hours ago

Are Former Measure C Execs Pushing Their Own Ballot Measure?

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned more than 80,615 acres, injured one firefighter, and prompted multiple evacuation orders as crews work to contain the growing wildfire. (CalFire)
16 hours ago

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Near New Cuyama Grows to 80,615 Acres, 35% Contained

U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019. New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
16 hours ago

US Justice Department Scrambles to Defend Its About-Face on Release of Epstein Files

A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2024. (Reuters File)
17 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lifts Order That Blocked Trump’s Mass Federal Layoffs

President Donald Trump holds the key to the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 7, 2025. (Reuters File)
17 hours ago

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend