INDIANAPOLIS — Nobody needs to wonder how Raheem Morris feels about the "Tush Push."
The Atlanta Falcons head coach is very much against the unique quarterback sneak popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles. He made as much clear Tuesday at the 2025 NFL Combine, where news of a proposal that the Tush Push be banned became public. In the aftermath, many coaches were asked to share their opinions.
"I thought it should have been illegal three years ago," Morris said. "The Tush Push play, I was never a big fan. There's just no other play in our game where you can absolutely get behind somebody and push them."
Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, revealed Monday that a team officially submitted a rule proposal to ban the "Tush Push" play. Reports surfaced Monday that it was the Green Bay Packers who submitted the proposal. On Tuesday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed it was his team that did so.
The Tush Push – also known as the "Brotherly Shove" – originated in Philadelphia. It's rather self-explanatory. Two teammates line up behind Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Once he receives the snaps, the two teammates push him as he lunges forward, hoping to gain enough yards to either score a touchdown or secure a first down.
According to ESPN Research, the Eagles and the Buffalo Bills have combined to run 163 Tush Push plays, which is more than the rest of the NFL combined. They have scored a touchdown or secured a first down on 87% of their attempts, while the rest of the league has been successful on 71%.
"There are some concerns," Vincent said. "Our health and safety committee has laid that out (Monday) 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."
This is the second time the Tush Push has been flagged to the NFL Competition Committee. The first time was three years ago, as Morris noted. At the time, banning the hip-drop tackle was prioritized instead.
Unless the Packers withdraw their rule proposal, banning the Tush Push will be voted on next month at the Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, which begins on March 30. A proposal needs 24 of the NFL's 32 team owners votes to pass.
"I never really understood it, why that was legal," Morris said. "So, I'm definitely going to be one of those guys voting against that."
