One of the most controversial plays of the NFL has been the “Tush Push” over the past few years. Made popular by the Philadelphia Eagles, an NFL owner’s meeting put to a vote whether the play should be kept in the game.

Though in March the Steelers’ owner Art Rooney II voted in favor of banning the play, it was the Steelers’ HC Mike Tomlin who actually considered using it. Though Tomlin openly accepted that he would use the “Tush Push”, he did not answer about who would carry the ball if such a situation would come up.

Aaron Rodgers had no part in Pittsburgh’s Tush Push experiment against the Vikings in Dublin, and that’s probably a good thing for a 41-year-old QB. Instead of diving into the pile, Rodgers stood back with his hands on his waist, casually signaling first down while the tight end handled the dirty work.

The crowd loved it. His gridiron presence (or the lack of it during the play) cracked up the fans almost as much as the play itself.

Other teams usually use their tight ends to push through. The Steelers have four tight ends on the roster. Darnell Washington has a humongous stature; thus, his height could make it hard for him to get the low leverage needed in the rugby-style push.

Jonnu Smith seems like the best option here. He’s 6-3, 248 pounds, and has experience playing out of the backfield.

The Steelers even used him at running back in training camp, and he scored on a jet sweep against the Jets in Week 1. A few other players on the team also have experience.

Mike Tomlin goes against the owner’s decision

In March, Steelers owner Art Rooney II said the team supported banning the “tush push,” but the proposal didn’t get the 75% of votes needed to pass. Rooney later shared his feelings when the play officially remained legal during the owners’ meeting in May.

The proposal to change the rule was narrowly rejected, only two votes short. Among the teams that voted against the ban were the Eagles, Ravens, Browns, Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins, Patriots, Saints, Giants, and Titans.

Tomlin is often at odds with the Competition Committee and has conveyed reluctance to ban the play, explaining that it would be an unfair measure that stops the teams that have mastered it from progressing further.

Similarly, when inquired about its use, Coach Mike Tomlin deliberately gave an indirect response. He hinted that if the team had been preparing for it during closed sessions, then they didn’t want anybody preparing for it.

Another reason why Tomlin was so brief with his answer might be that they had only considered using the play and had not yet made a decision to go ahead with it until today.

But there’s one slight issue. The offensive line of the Steelers has changed its focus from the sheer size of the players to their athletic abilities. And this could make it harder for the O-line to run the play.