The Tush Push lives on for another season. Like the yardage it’s intended to gain, it survived by inches. Falling two votes shy of the required 24 to adopt the Green Bay Packers’ proposal that would’ve made it illegal to push teammates forward, thus making the Tush Push null and void, retired center Jason Kelce’s passionate last-minute speech may have swayed key votes. At least, Art Rooney II seems to think so.
ESPN’s Seth Wickersham offered an overview of one of the closest and most contentious votes the NFL has taken in years. Rooney believes Kelce’s words played a major role in keeping the play legal.
“One of Kelce’s talking points was to dispel the rumor that he retired because of the tush push, sources told [Jeremy] Fowler. Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said Kelce’s perspective was that the tush push is a safe play, not something we need to worry about that much.”
Rooney also said Kelce may have swayed teams who were undecided on their vote, adding that more teams could embrace the tush push during their offseason practices, now that the play is not going away.”
The NFL’s competition committee and health and safety board recommended the play be banned. Despite not having data to support the notion the Tush Push is a dangerous play, the optics and belief of a rugby-like scrum led the league to fear injury.
Inventors of the modern-day play that harkens back to football’s roots, the Philadelphia Eagles led the charge to preserve the play. Owner Jeffrey Lurie spent nearly an hour making a pitch for why owners should vote against the ban. Kelce followed and according to reports, didn’t just speak with emotion but facts and reason why the play shouldn’t be outlawed.
In the end, their words won out. Ten teams voted against the resolution. However, Kelce’s comments didn’t sway Rooney and the Steelers. Pittsburgh was one of 22 teams that reportedly voted in favor of the ban. After the vote failed, the Eagles’ social media team rejoiced.
The future of the play remains uncertain. Will an NFL team propose this resolution each year until it passes? Or will teams accept it as part of football? Will it take one injury, freak as it might be, to convince two more teams to vote in favor of banning it? Will enough teams get tired of being unable to stop it and vote it away?
Pittsburgh has only lightly used the Tush Push. But given the Steelers’ short-yardage struggles, it’s something the team could look at during the offseason. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them. The Tush Push remains undefeated. On the field and in the owners’ room.
