The tush push remains a target for a rule change
Whether the tush push makes it to 2026 depends on whether the play is, or isn't, "unremarkable" in 2025.
Through two weeks, it's been pretty remarkable.
The Eagles used it six times against the Chiefs. The latest controversy regarding the play sprang from video showing Eagles offensive linemen flying off the line early, without a penalty being called. That has prompted Rams coach Sean McVay to explain that there have been conversations with the league office about eliminating the "rolling start" to the play.
Some will think the easier approach is to eliminate the play altogether. The one fact that remains lost in the conversation is that, if the plug gets pulled on the tush push, the Eagles will still have an effective quarterback sneak. Which will be used whenever the tush push would have been.
Former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who was instrumental in the May 2025 ownership meeting that resulted in a 22-10 vote to ban it (two votes short of the magic number), made that point on Twitter recently.
"I love that the problem everyone has with the tush push this week, has absolutely nothing to do with the actual pushing portion," Kelce said. "Like banning the tush push doesn't even stop what they have an issue with from the play this last week. The Eagles still could have done exactly what they did last week with it being a regular QB sneak. Officials being more stringent on players aligning in the neutral zone and false starts is the only way to stop what everyone has an issue with. And I get it, there were at last a couple from the game that were too early, and should be called false starts. It is an extremely hard thing to officiate, and good players on both sides of the ball jump the snap and use the neutral zone to their advantage on multiple downs and plays throughout the game. Getting rid of the tush push will not stop the issue everyone is riled up about."
He's absolutely right. And, frankly, at some point the Eagles should just say, "Go ahead, make your day. Get rid of the tush push. We'll still get the yardage we need with a quarterback sneak."
They might get rid of it with or without the Eagles throwing in the towel. Again, it comes down to whether the play has an "unremarkable" year.
It a significant injury can be attributed to the play, it's done. If rolling starts continue to happen without flags, it's done.
And don't forget the thing that sparked the offseason assault on the tush push in the first place. If/when a defense repeatedly jumps offside at the goal line, surrendering eventually meaningless half-the-distance yardage until the officials declare a "palpably unfair act" and award a touchdown, the powers-that-be may decide to finish the job.
That's the next thing to watch for. As soon as Sunday, when the Rams return to Philly. If they repeatedly move prematurely on defense to the point where the referee has to warn them not to do it again - and they do - the league office undoubtedly will mobilize in the offseason.
Hell, if it happens more than once between now and October, maybe they'll do something about the play when the owners meet in October.
Either way, it already feels like another effort to end the play is coming. And then, once the play is written out of the rulebook, the Eagles will still find a way to make third- or fourth-and-short automatic through a conventional (and for the Eagles unstoppable) quarterback sneak.