Tush Push Drama Continues, But Ban Chances This Year Look Like Low Battery Mode

The NFL’s most debated short-yardage weapon — the “Tush Push” — is back in the spotlight. But if you were expecting the play to disappear this season, you might want to hold that reaction meme. Competition Committee co-chair Rich McKay signaled that a ban proposal isn’t really on the horizon right now. The drama exists, the finale doesn’t.

McKay suggested the situation is fairly chill for the moment — no team has formally submitted a proposal, which means there’s no urgent push toward banning it. He also dropped that classic sports-politics energy of “maybe, maybe not,” leaving the door slightly open for surprises.

“There’s no team proposal that I’ve seen from it,” McKay said following a day of meetings at the NFL combine. “So, I wouldn’t envision it. But you never know.”

During the 2025 season, attempts at the play increased, but its dominance dipped compared to previous years. That didn’t stop the controversy though. Missed false start calls by referees and a bizarre early whistle during a Giants-Eagles moment — when Jalen Hurts was having the ball ripped away — kept the internet busy producing fresh memes.

The committee itself hasn’t even formally discussed a ban yet, which is a big shift from last year’s heated debates.

There have been no discussions, to this point, by the competition committee about banning the tush push, per Rich McKay. No team has made a proposal yet (unlike last year, when the Packers did). pic.twitter.com/1i1NkNi7HO
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 22, 2026

Last offseason was far more intense. The Green Bay Packers proposed a ban that ultimately fell just two votes short of the required 24. Had it passed, the league would have effectively revived the pre-2005 rule that prohibited players from pushing ball carriers anywhere on the field.

According to ESPN reporting, the conversation around banning the Tush Push became emotional enough that some owners may prefer to wait another year before reopening the debate. In other words, the play is like that friend everyone argues about but nobody actually kicks out of the group chat.