The NFL’s rulebook is a battlefield of innovation versus tradition, like a chess match where pawns suddenly sprout rocket boosters. Picture a play so effective it has become football’s version of the knuckleball—unpredictable, divisive, and nearly impossible to counter. The Tush Push storms onto the field as Philadelphia’s signature short-yardage bulldozer, igniting more debates than a Thanksgiving dinner argument over who invented the forward pass. Now, as league owners gather in Florida this week, the play’s fate hangs in the balance. And the Dallas Cowboys?

They’re strapping on their boots to stomp out the ban. Stephen Jones, Cowboys COO and competition committee co-chair, confirmed Sunday that Dallas will vote against banning the Tush Push. “We’re looking for consistency as a committee, and we don’t allow pushing,” Jones said. “We don’t allow the linebackers to push the defensive linemen on extra points and we’re just trying to be consistent. These quarterbacks, I’m sure they would be wildly successful whether you’re pushed or not.” His stance sets up a showdown with Green Bay.

The Packers proposed the ban, citing “player safety” and “pace of play”—arguments critics call as flimsy as a screen door on a submarine. The Eagles’ near-flawless execution (39/48 conversions in 2024) has turned the play into a cheat code. But it’s not just Philly: Buffalo, Cleveland, and even Dallas (9/10 sneaks) found success. However, only two teams—the Packers and an unnamed NFC playoff foe—are pushing to scrap it. “It reeks of jealousy,” one executive told ESPN.

The Tush Push isn’t pretty. It’s Jalen Hurts squatting 600 pounds behind 697 pounds of human brick wall (Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson), while teammates shove like movers cramming a couch up a staircase. “It’s all of us moving together in unison,” center Cam Jurgens said earlier. Critics argue it’s not real football, but Eagles coach Nick Sirianni jokingly shot back: “Gannon, Steichen, and Moore better vote for it. They’re in the [head coach] position right now because of that play.” He isn’t wrong.

Shane Steichen, as the offensive coordinator for the Eagles in 2021 and 2022, was instrumental in the development and use of the “tush push” play. Jonathan Gannon was also a part of that coaching staff. And Moore? He was the architect during the Super Bowl LIX run.

Meanwhile, the competition committee’s safety concerns lack data. There’s no injury evidence—it all seems somewhat hypothetical to many. Even the league’s modeling admitted defensive players risk more harm lunging headfirst into the scrum.

The Tush Push’s last stand

Green Bay’s proposal hinges on vague language. It bans pushing a teammate “immediately at the snap,” but what’s “immediately”? “If it passes, it’ll be rewritten about six times. How do you determine what ‘immediately’ is?” asked a GM. The Cowboys and others argue consistency matters: pushing is already barred on field goals. But as Jones noted, “I’m sure [Hurts] he’ll make first downs at a high rate, whether someone’s pushing him or not, because he’s an inordinately strong special athlete. So we’re just trying to be consistent with the rule.”

Philadelphia’s allies are mobilizing. Sirianni expects support from ex-assistants turned head coaches. Meanwhile, the Packers’ silence speaks volumes—neither Matt LaFleur nor GM Brian Gutekunst would comment Sunday. Besides, banning the Tush Push wouldn’t kill the sneak—Buffalo converted 78% without pushes—but it would erase a strategic edge. “It’s punishing a team who became excellent at executing the play,” an exec said. Consider:

• Only 0.28% of 2024 plays were push sneaks.
• Washington’s NFC Championship meltdown (four penalties on six Tush Push attempts) fueled the ban’s momentum.
• The Eagles scored on their sixth try after a referee threatened to award a touchdown for “unfair acts.”

Yet Dallas, Buffalo, and others see hypocrisy. “I think if everybody could do it, no one would want to ban it. Just about two teams can do it at the clip we can,” Jurgens said. Furthermore, the Tush Push debate isn’t about safety or aesthetics—it’s about control. Football’s eternal tug-of-war pits innovators against traditionalists, with some teams adapting while others resist being out muscled.

As owners vote Tuesday, remember: the NFL has always thrived on chaos, from the “Immaculate Reception” to the “Philly Special.” Banning a play because it works too well? That’s like outlawing the dunk in basketball because Shaq was unstoppable. Will the league strangle creativity or let the Tush Push shove its way into history?