Green Bay Packers Suggest Elimination of 'Tush Push' Play: Insider Reports

The Green Bay Packers have submitted a request to the NFL’s competition committee seeking to eliminate the controversial “tush push” play, as reported by league sources on Monday.

Commonly referred to as the “Brotherly Shove,” this technique is a quarterback sneak that has been primarily utilized by the Philadelphia Eagles during critical short-yardage situations. Typically, it involves Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts receiving the snap from under center and then making a forward leap while being propelled by teammates from behind.

The Philadelphia Eagles first began implementing this play in recent seasons, including during Doug Pederson’s coaching period from 2016-2020 when Carson Wentz was the starting quarterback. The play has stirred conversation across the league and was discussed by the competition committee before the 2023 season, but it was ultimately not presented for a vote then.

This strategy has proven highly successful for the Eagles since its inception. Last season, Philadelphia achieved the fourth-best fourth-down conversion rate in the NFL at 70.4 percent and tied for the second-most rushing touchdowns across the league with 29, significantly aided by this play. Remarkably, Hurts topped all NFL quarterbacks with 14 rushing touchdowns, 13 of which occurred in goal-to-go situations, according to data from TruMedia.

Jason Kelce, a former Eagles offensive lineman who played a crucial role in executing this play before retiring in March 2024, has expressed confidence that Philadelphia will adapt their strategy for short yardage gains if the “tush push” is banned. Regardless of this tactic, the Eagles have been among the top-performing teams in short-yardage scenarios over the past three seasons, boasting a 73.9% first-down success rate, surpassed only by the Baltimore Ravens (75.9%) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (75.4%).