The Philadelphia Eagles knocked the Green Bay Packers out of the NFL playoffs during the wild-card round in January. Seeking revenge, the Packers have submitted a proposal to change a league rule known as the “tush push.” This proposal, along with two others, will be discussed at the NFL’s annual league meeting scheduled between March 30 and April 2. The rule changes are currently in the proposal stage and require approval to be officially implemented.
The Packers’ proposal aims to modify an existing rule and would penalize offensive players for pushing a teammate lined up directly behind the snapper immediately after the snap. This practice, popularized by the Eagles as the “tush push,” involves providing additional momentum to the quarterback on crucial downs to gain a first down.
Despite previous discussions about eliminating the “tush push,” no action was taken during the 2023 season. However, the NFL continues to monitor the play for potential safety concerns. Other teams have adopted the “tush push” since its introduction by the Eagles, who achieved success with the play during their Super Bowl LIX victory.
In addition to the “tush push” proposal, the NFL will also consider eliminating automatic first downs for certain defensive penalties, put forward by the Detroit Lions. Another proposal up for debate is whether both teams should have possessions in overtime, a rule currently implemented in playoff games and the Super Bowl. The Eagles are advocating for this two-possession rule to apply in both regular season and playoff games.
Furthermore, the Lions have proposed changes to improve the seeding process for wild-card teams and to adjust the rules regarding player placement on the reserve/inactive list.
The Lions have put forth a proposal to restructure the playoff seeding in the NFL. They aim to change the current system to allow wild-card teams with superior records compared to division champions to be seeded higher in the playoffs. Two bylaw proposals for the 2025 NFL season have been submitted by the Lions ahead of the Annual League Meeting. This proposal could have had significant implications on last season’s playoffs. For instance, despite finishing with a 14-3 record, the Minnesota Vikings were seeded fifth and had to play on the road against the Los Angeles Rams, who had a 10-7 record. The Rams emerged victorious with a score of 27-9, eliminating the Vikings from the playoffs. Similarly, the Green Bay Packers, with 11 wins in the regular season, were placed as the seventh seed. Despite having a superior record to the Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Packers had to face the No. 2 seed Eagles on the road, resulting in a 22-10 loss. The potential elimination of the “tush push” rule could spark strong reactions from players, but the Lions’ playoff-reseeding proposal stands out as having the most significant impact on the NFL if accepted. The fate of these rule changes and bylaw proposals will be determined at the league’s annual meeting starting on March 30th.
