Seahawks GM confirms team’s stance on controversial ‘tush push’ play

One of the hottest topics in the NFL this offseason is whether the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ famed “tush push” play should remain legal.

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A proposal to ban the play was authored by the Green Bay Packers and presented at the league’s annual meeting earlier this week, but it was ultimately tabled after an informal vote resulted in a 16-16 tie, according to ESPN. NFL bylaws require at least 24 votes for a rule change to be approved.

During his weekly appearance Thursday on Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob, Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed the Hawks were not among the 16 teams that supported a “tush push” ban.

“No, we did not support that,” Schneider said.

The “tush push” has been a staple for the Eagles in short-yardage situations over the past three seasons. It consists of teammates pushing quarterback Jalen Hurts from behind and into the opposing defensive line, which has prompted concerns about player safety.

According to ESPN, the NFL’s health and safety department had no data that suggested any injuries had occurred during a “tush push” play by the Eagles or any other team.

Schneider said the lack of evidence over the “tush push” being an unusual injury risk was a big reason why the proposal didn’t pass. He said it was a contrast to the hip-drop tackle, which was banned last offseason after posing a clear injury risk to players.

“It’s not as clear as the hip drop has been,” Schneider said. “Last year, they were going through the hip-drop stuff and the videos are awful. … But the medical portion wasn’t as clear on this.

“But the discussion was pretty intense,” he added. “… There was a lot of really interesting opinions both ways.”

According to ESPN, the debate over the “tush push” is expected to continue next month at a league owner’s meeting on May 20-21.

Listen to the full conversation with Seahawks general manager John Schneider at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. The John Schneider Show airs on Thursdays at 4 p.m. leading up to the NFL Draft.

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