Whether you call it the Tush Push or the Brotherly Shove, the quarterback sneak that the Eagles run so effectively and other teams can’t seem to figure out remains a hot topic of conversation within the NFL. But the league says Commissioner Roger Goodell isn’t putting his thumb on the scale about any potential rule change.
On a conference call to preview next week’s owners meetings, NFL Executive VP Jeff Miller dismissed reporting that Goodell has taken a stance on banning the play, saying that the league continues to have an open mind about whether the rules need to be modified. That confirms what PFT has previously reported, which is that the play is under review but the Commissioner has expressed no opinion.
The owners have asked the NFL Competition Committee to study the play, and the league would consider taking up a rule change in the offseason. Any rule change would require a three-fourths majority of the owners, which means nine votes would block it. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie would obviously be one of the nine, and somewhat surprisingly Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has also said it’s on the defense to stop it, not on the rule makers to ban it.
The play isn’t going away this season, so opposing teams will have to figure out a way to stop Jalen Hurts. For now anyway.