NFL owners table tush push vote, approve kickoff, OT rule changes
By ROB MAADDI | AP Pro Football Writer
PALM BEACH, Fla. — A decision on the future of the tush push has been pushed until next month.
NFL team owners had been set to vote Tuesday on Green Bay’s proposal to ban the play that has helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Super Bowl and reach another, but it was tabled until May.
Team owners approved modifying the kickoff rule, expanding replay assist, revising overtime rules, along with other changes.
Postponing the tush push vote means the debate will continue while teams gather more information. Proponents of the play and those who oppose it presented strong arguments while the league’s medical experts expressed safety concerns.
NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay stressed the issues surrounding the play extend beyond safety because there’s not enough data to indicate that it’s dangerous. The league already has said no injuries have been reported on a tush push.
“There are definitely some people that have health and safety concerns, but there’s just as many people that have football concerns,” McKay said. “So I wouldn’t say it was because of one particular health and safety video or discussion. It was much more about the play, the aesthetics of the play, is it part of what football has been traditionally, or is it more of a rugby play? All those types of discussions. Health and safety is still there because of potential but I wouldn’t go beyond that.”
The league prohibited pushing or pulling a player before a rule change in 2004. McKay said the Packers asked to pull the proposal so they could reintroduce the previous language, study it, and bring it up for discussion for a vote at the May meetings.
It takes 24 of 32 votes to approve rule changes.
“There’s a lot of discussion about going back to the previous rule, back to pre-2004,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “I think that makes a lot of sense in many ways because it expands it beyond that single play. There are a lot of plays where you see someone pulling or pushing somebody that are not in the tush push formation that I think do have an increased risk of injury. And so I think the committee will look at that and come back in May with some proposals.”
As for changes that did pass, regular-season overtime rules now will match those in the playoffs and both teams will have a chance to get a possession even if the offense scores a touchdown on the opening drive. The proposal was amended to make overtime 10 minutes, not 15 minutes.
Owners also approved a proposal from the NFL Competition Committee 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 also would be able to overturn a roughing-the-kicker or running-into-the-kicker penalty if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.
Replay assist could wipe out a foul only if it was incorrectly called, but it will not be used to throw a flag if a penalty wasn’t called.
The dynamic kickoff rule becomes permanent, with touchbacks moving to the 35-yard line instead of the 30.
Pittsburgh’s proposal to allow teams to have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents during the two-day negotiation period was approved. Teams now can make travel arrangements with such players upon agreeing to terms.
Also, owners approved a rule to permit clubs to prepare kicking footballs (“K-Balls”) before game day, similar to the process permitted for game footballs.
Detroit’s proposal for playoff seeding to be based on winning percentage was also tabled for May. The proposal to stop automatic first downs from being awarded on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties didn’t pass.
Philadelphia’s version of the quarterback sneak sparked the most intense discussions.
Bills coach Sean McDermott was among those leading the push to get rid of it, even though Buffalo used it more than any team other than the Eagles.
“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,” McDermott said Monday. “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.”
The Eagles began using the play in short-yardage situations in 2022. Two or three players line up behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and push him forward. Several other teams including the Bills began using it, but no team has matched Philadelphia’s success rate.
“There’s no data that shows it isn’t a very safe play, or else we wouldn’t be pushing the tush push,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said.
SPORTSMANSHIP
The NFL is expanding prohibited acts to include banning the “nose wipe” gesture that league executive Troy Vincent said is affiliated with gangs.
The unsportsmanlike conduct rule now states: “any violent gesture, which shall include but not be limited to a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the ‘nose wipe’ gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.
Vincent said “violent gestures” used by players increased 133% and “sexual taunting” went up 52%.
“We have to be responsible adults,” Vincent said. “We’re not trying to take away the spontaneous moments. But the shooting and the killing and the sexual acts – you’re a professional.”
VIRTUAL MEASUREMENTS
The NFL will use Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology for virtual line-to-gain measurements next season, but officials will continue to spot the football and the chain crew will remain on the sideline in a secondary role.
The virtual measurement system allows the NFL to accurately and efficiently measure the distance between the spotted ball and the line to gain. The technology was tested extensively last season.
CHRISTMAS DAY GAMES
The NFL is planning a Christmas Day tripleheader this year (on a Thursday) after playing two games last year when the holiday fell on a Wednesday. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the first two games will be streamed on Netflix, and the third will be available on Amazon Prime, which owns the rights to the league’s Thursday Night Football package.
2028 OLYMPICS
Many NFL players have said they’d like to play flag football in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles since the sport was added in 2023. But they’ll need their teams to sign off on their participation.
“I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s the United States or the country that they came from,” Goodell said. “I think that’s something that we’ll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs. I think both of those are things that we’ll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days.”