The spotlight is firmly on the Philadelphia Eagles, and not just because they won Super Bowl 59 in dominant fashion. With the Annual NFL League Meeting set to commence, fans are wondering if the team’s patented tush push, or “brotherly shove” as it is also known, will be banned starting next season. The Green Bay Packers made the proposal, but they have hardly commented on the matter publicly. Oddly enough, one of the most vocal supporters for a ban represents the Buffalo Bills, the squad most associated with the play after Philly.
Head coach and NFL Competition Committee member Sean McDermott is part of a group of individuals that is calling for the removal of the tush push, evoking plenty of surprised reactions on social media. MVP quarterback Josh Allen benefited from the play throughout the 2024-25 season, so McDermott’s opposition will confound many people. He contends, however, that the Bills run a variation of the tush push and not the same form as the one made famous by Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ offensive line.
Apparently, the dissension was on display during the football operations meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. And it spilled out into the hall.
“During the Sunday afternoon session, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, assistant general manager Jon Ferrari and two head coaches on the competition committee, Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams and Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills, gathered in a hallway outside of the ballroom to have a private and animated side conversation about the Packers’ proposal,” ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler reported.
Bills’ Sean McDermott makes his case for tush push ban
When two of the league’s most prominent coaches have a lively exchange with arguably the most recognizable executive in the sport, ears are going to perk up. The exact nature of these interactions are unclear, but it would not be shocking if Roseman and the Eagles as a whole take issue with McDermott’s point of view specifically. Most fans assumed Philadelphia and Buffalo would be united on this front.
Clearly, that is not the case whatsoever. McDermott explained his reasoning for wanting to ban the tush push on Monday morning. “We’re going to always act in a way that’s best for the health and safety of the players,” he told reporters, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The ninth-year HC is especially concerned with the posture that O-Linemen exhibit during the play, which he believes can result in future injuries.
McDermott acknowledges that the data shows no link to injuries from the tush push, but he is stressing the importance of proactive thinking. Howie Roseman and the Eagles are unlikely to accept his clarification. The NFL owners will vote on this proposed rule change on Tuesday, April 1. Regardless of the outcome, Philly fans will not forget this.
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