GREEN BAY, Wisc. – The Green Bay Packers have submitted a proposal to ban a play known as the “tush push.”

The document outlines various proposals by teams for changes to playing rules, bylaws and resolutions for the 2025 NFL season.

Packers propose ban of ‘tush push’

In the proposal, the team seeks to amend a rule known as “tush push” to prohibit an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap.

The Philadelphia Eagles run the tush push play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, at Arena Corinthians on September 6, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Credit: Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

The document says the reasons for the proposed change are “player safety” and “pace of play.”

If adopted, the rule would result in a 10-yard penalty for the offense if they engage in the play.

What they’re saying:

“I’m aware of [the proposal],” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters last month, according to NFL Network. “We really haven’t had very many discussions about it. I’m sure we will over the next few weeks as we head into the owners’ meetings. So I’m aware that we did, but really haven’t had many discussions about it.

‘Tush push’ popularized by the Eagles

The backstory:

According to the NFL Network, the tush push is also known as the “Brotherly Shove” and originated in Philadelphia, where the Eagles popularized the play by lining up two teammates behind quarterback Jalen Hurts, who received the snap, lunged forward and, with the push of his two fellow Eagles from behind, attempted to gain the necessary yardage for a fresh set of downs or a touchdown.

The play was used during a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, FOX Sports reported.

“Hip drop and the tush push were in the same conversation three years ago,” NFL’s EVP of football operations Troy Vincent told NFL Network. “A year ago, we felt like let’s just focus in on the hip-drop tackle, and the tush push, just say, hey, the Philadelphia Eagles, they just do it better than everybody else. But there are some concerns. Our health and safety committee has laid that out today with a brief conversation on the injury report. There’s some challenges, some concerns that they’ll share with the broader group tomorrow. But the tush push will become a topic of discussion moving into March.”

NFL teams make proposals

What’s next:

Teams made several other proposals released Wednesday that will be added to additional ones made by the competition committee to be considered at the league meetings later this month, including a change to the overtime rule and the so-called legal tampering period in free agency.

The Detroit Lions also proposed that playoff seeding be done based on record instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots.

Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners.