Ever since the Philadelphia Eagles popularized the "Tush Push" variation of the quarterback sneak, debate has raged about whether the play will -- or should -- be banned. Just don't count on a rule change anytime soon, as NFL executive Troy Vincent told NBC Sports Thursday the league's competition committee currently sees zero reason to prohibit the play.
"Don't punish a team that strategically does it very well," Vincent said on "PFT Live," citing the Eagles' league-leading conversion percentage on the rugby-esque push. He explained that's the sentiment of the entire competition committee, which is tasked with reviewing and proposing NFL rules: The "Tush Push" (also known as the "Brotherly Shove") hasn't surfaced in a single discussion about potential changes this offseason, he said, because everyone to this point has been in agreement over the play's legality.
Teams will have an opportunity to counter that stance at the NFL's annual league meetings in late March, Vincent added, but there is no indication any proposal for a ban will arise at that time. It's a stark contrast to previous reports, which had indicated other coaches and executives, including NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, might prefer to remove the play from the game.
There is currently no rule prohibiting any player from pushing a ball-carrier forward, as the Eagles have so often done in recent seasons, though players are by rule not allowed to pull or carry a teammate. The traditional quarterback sneak play has been used with regularity for years; rather than simply having the quarterback dive forward, however, the Eagles kicked off a trend of additional players, including running backs and tight ends, lining up behind the quarterback to assist in driving him forward.
