NFL head of football operations Troy Vincent Sr. said the league doesn't want to 'punish' a team for doing something well
The infamous "tush push" or "brotherly shove," as the Philadelphia Eagles have called it, was rumored to be the subject of discussion among the NFL competition committee for a potential ban.
NFL head of football operations Troy Vincent Sr. denied that’s the case during a league meeting Wednesday.
"That was false," Vincent told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. "This play has evolved."
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Jalen Hurts (1) of the Philadelphia Eagles rushes for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium Sept. 25, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
The Athletic reported in October that some within the league office didn’t like that the tush push was viewed as an "ugly" play, with both teams piling on top of one another as quarterback Jalen Hurts was shoved over for a first down or touchdown.
The Athletic added that some players felt being able to push, but not pull, each other forward was being taken advantage of. But The Athletic noted there was "far more support for keeping the tush push than banning it."
Vincent’s comments here prove the league views the situation differently.
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The play has become an Eagles signature, especially last season when Hurts scored twice using the brotherly shove. Hurts has been pushed over for first downs and touchdowns all season, and Philadelphia is near the top of the NFC with a 10-3 record.
Other teams have tried to match the success rate of the Eagles with the play, but it just hasn’t been the same.
Jalen Hurts (1) of the Philadelphia Eagles sneaks for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field Dec. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
"Philly does it better than anyone else; that’s a fact," Vincent said, via NFL Network. "You don’t want to punish anyone for doing something well."
The NFL Network report also said Vincent did not find enough data to "substantiate a greater injury risk on the play." Basically, the sample size just isn’t there.
Vincent talked about other rules being discussed by the league, including a fumble going through the end zone from an offensive player being a touchback and resulting in a change of possession and fair catches on kickoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs for a touchdown during Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs Feb. 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Adam Bow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
So, the Eagles will likely continue pestering defenses in short-yardage situations with the tush push.
Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
