One of the most controversial plays in the NFL playbook appears to be here to stay.
Videos by FanBuzz
According to Troy Vincent, the NFL's Executive Vice President of Football operations, the NFL Competition Committee didn't even bring up the Tush-Push, made so effective by the Philadelphia Eagles in recent seasons.
"Don't punish a team that strategically does it well," Vincent told Pro Football Talk.
Philadelphia has been so successful running the modified quarterback sneak where teammates push the quarterback from behind, over the line of scrimmage, that Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has previously noted that for his team it is "first-and-nine," each offensive series.
"When we discuss the push-play," Vincent said. "With the committee later during the season, the evolution of the play, there were more teams doing it, they were very creative, it was a very creative look, and they were doing different things out of it."
The tush-push has come under fire in recent years, both because of the Eagles' success with the play and because there have been instances where teams have tried to run the play, only to have players injured.
However, at least for the 2024 season, it appears that the onus will fall on defenses to stop offenses from bulldozing for first downs and short-yardage touchdowns using the play rather than the NFL outlawing it with any new rule changes.
"What we want to avoid," Vincent points out. "Is what we think could happen, someone just comes over the top an injures themselves. But, no discussion around [the play], it was one where I thought if I brought it up in the room [the group would yell] move on.
"But, when we get to Florida [for the annual NFL meeting] we will make sure the whole membership has a chance to weigh in on it."
