In the smoky, whisper-filled corridors of the NFL’s annual spring meeting, one phrase kept resurfacing like a rogue wave—’just two votes.’ That was all that separated the Philadelphia Eagles from losing the league’s most controversial weapon: the Tush Push. And while the Eagles posted cheeky graphics afterward, the tension in the room told a different story. The message was clear: the NFL isn’t done with this play—it’s just circling, waiting.

The Eagles are riding high as reigning Super Bowl champions, but their most polarizing play—the Tush Push—is walking a tightrope. They boasted a 92.3% and 88.1% success rate on the maneuver in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Despite converting at a lower but highly effective 81.3% (39 of 48) of such attempts in 2024, the future of the play remains far from secure. During the NFL owners’ spring meeting, a vote to ban the short-yardage QB sneak variation fell just two approvals short of enactment, ending 22-10 in favor of a ban.

So the mood is clear, but short of the 24-vote majority that is needed to implement an official rule. What truly saved the play? Ironically, it was data…or the lack of it. The NFL didn’t have enough concrete evidence linking the Tush Push to injuries. And that became the Eagles’ shield. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, those two votes might not remain missing for long.

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show on May 23, Pelissero made it clear: 31 other teams are now waiting for a crack in the Eagles’ Tush Push armor. “The data set is so small,” he noted, “You’re talking about 120 plays last season out of tens of thousands of plays league-wide. But if somebody were to get hurt on this play, that might be the type of thing that tips this over two more votes next March.” 

Pelissero’s takeaway: the NFL’s competition committee is keeping tabs—and the next incident could be the catalyst for banning the play altogether. The Falcons CEO Rich McKay wanted not only this play, but a ban on other push plays as well. The Packers, who submitted the proposal, revised it at the last moment to include more data. But it wasn’t enough. But while it didn’t pass this time, the proposal’s backers are already regrouping.

The Eagles weren’t shy about their victory. After the vote, they fired off a graphic on social media with the slogan “Push On,” rubbing salt into a still-open league wound. And that post wasn’t just gamesmanship—it was defiance. But it also gave ammunition to critics who feel the franchise is exploiting a legal loophole that undermines competitive balance and player safety. The Eagles also had a familiar face to thank for stepping in with an assist.

An Eagles legend saves the tush push in 2025

Enter Jason Kelce, a legend among centers and a vocal proponent of the Eagles’ Tush Push dominance. A play that was rumored to have played a part in his relatively early retirement. Now an (unofficial) franchise ambassador, Kelce turned up to the owners’ meeting in Minnesota armed not with cleats but with clarity. Backed by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, Kelce was invited to speak on behalf of the franchise and the play he was once right in the middle of on the gridiron.

“There’s not any data to suggest that it’s unsafe,” Kelce told the owners, citing the NFL’s own report and dismantling the proposal with cool precision. His credibility, paired with the statistical reality, swayed enough undecideds to block the ban. That’s right, the Eagles’ greatest short-yardage play was rescued not by analytics alone, but by a retired center in dad sneakers.

Despite their successful defense of the Tush Push, the Eagles now face the burden of proving it belongs. The spotlight will be brighter, the stakes higher, and every attempt will be scrutinized—not just by officials, but by the league’s 31 other teams ready to submit a new ban proposal with a larger dataset. And the timing couldn’t be more delicate.

With expectations sky-high after their Super Bowl LIX victory, Jalen Hurts, who has enjoyed more rushing success, with 29 touchdowns in 2 seasons, and the Eagles know the road to repeat won’t just be paved with touchdowns. If Philly wants to protect their prized play, they’ll need more than Jason Kelce’s testimony. They’ll need flawless execution, no injuries, and a 2025 film reel that proves this isn’t a cheat—it’s just football, perfected.