NFL owners are expected to take up the tush push ban vote, but the Eagles aren't fretting

EAGAN, Minn. — While the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles were going about their offseason business, NFL owners gathered in Minnesota with the fate of their trendy short-yardage maneuver featured prominently on the agenda.

The proposal to ban the tush push was headed for a league-wide vote on Wednesday. The Eagles, though, were hardly worried about an issue well beyond their control.

''It's only one yard,'' wide receiver A.J. Brown said nonchalantly during an interview session with reporters at Eagles headquarters on Tuesday.

Indeed, the plunges by strong-legged quarterback Jalen Hurts behind a powerful offensive line will continue regardless of whether a three-quarters majority is secured to pass the resolution. What the owners must decide is whether a teammate should be allowed to shove or tug him.

Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata sounded resigned and relaxed about the potential rule change when asked about it on Tuesday. He even said jokingly that he hoped for a ban because he hates the cheeky name of the play.

''Worrying about whether they're going to ban the tush push or not ain't going to win us another championship,'' Mailata said.

After tabling the issue seven weeks ago, a vote was expected by Commissioner Roger Goodell on the issue that involves aesthetics, integrity and safety. The league released a revised proposal by the Green Bay Packers on Monday that broadened their original language to prohibit pushing, pulling, lifting or encircling a runner by any offensive player, not specific to the quarterback assists that have come to be cleverly known as the tush push.

If 24 of the 32 owners approve, the rule would essentially revert back to where it was 20 years ago, when a previous such ban was lifted because of the difficulty of enforcement.

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has been leading the defense of the play his team developed with the coinciding arrival of Hurts in 2020.

The NFL has no conclusive data supporting a connection between the tush push and an injury risk increase, as Lurie noted at the previous league meetings in Florida. The Buffalo Bills are also a frequent user and favor a ban for safety, though, as head coach Sean McDermott said after the vote was tabled.

The tush push not only assigns a player to push the backside of the quarterback for extra power behind a tight nine-man line but sometimes involves a blocker on the end pivoting to try to pull the ball carrier past the marker.

Health is only half of this debate, however. Entertainment is the other.

While the Eagles have nearly perfected the play for fourth-and-1 or 1-yard line situations with well-chosen personnel and well-rehearsed precision, it looks more like rugby than football.

The Packers have been among several teams voicing their distaste for the evolution of the traditional quarterback sneak into an all-out scrum. On the memo distributed by the NFL on Monday, the reasons cited for the proposal are player safety and pace of play.

''It was controversial when the forward pass came out,'' Lurie said at the last league meetings. ''I think aestheticism is very subjective. I've never judged whether a play looks OK.''

Regardless of the fate of the play, the fairness and fun of it are sure to be talking points throughout the season, particularly leading up to the Monday night game on Nov. 10 when the Packers host the Eagles.

Both of those teams have a good chance to be in contention in the loaded NFC for the playoffs, which could unfold a little differently if a proposal by the Detroit Lions were to pass.

Like the tush push, a vote was tabled at the most recent gathering for further discussion on altering the seeding rules to base the order on overall winning percentage rather than guaranteeing division winners the first four spots in each conference.

In this case, division winners would no longer get the automatic home game as the Los Angeles Rams did in January after finishing 10-7. Though wildfires forced the game to be moved to Arizona, the Vikings had to hit the road despite going 14-3, one game behind the Lions.

NFL owners were also considering several adjustments on the onside kick with the goal of increasing the recovery rate.

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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed from Philadelphia.

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