During the NFL offseason, the Green Bay Packers led a petition to ban the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ tush push play that has been central to Philly’s success.
While there was serious discussion this offseason among team owners, coaches and general managers, the petition failed to land the requisite 24 of 32 vote majority — coming up two votes short at the owners’ meetings in May.
Approaching a primetime “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Eagles, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was asked whether he has changed his mind on the play since the offseason.
After numerous questions about handling the play on Monday, LaFleur pushed back with a brief and blunt statement.
“I’m not going to get into it,” LaFleur said Thursday, per ESPN. “It is what it is. The NFL made a decision, and we have to find a way to try to stop the play, and it’s a tough play to stop.”
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While former Packers president Mark Murphy led the charge for the rule change, LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst supported the motion, describing it as a risk to player safety.
How will the biggest proponents of banning the tush push stop it on Monday?
“The best way to stop it is to not allow it to happen,” LaFleur said.
That didn’t happen off the field this offseason, which will demand the Packers stop Philadelphia from getting into short-yardage situations on the field on Monday.
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Since 2024 (including the Eagles’ Super Bowl run), Jalen Hurts has scored 24 rushing touchdowns. Eighteen have come from inside the 5-yard line.
“You know exactly what they’re going to do and they’ve been pretty successful at it, obviously,” LaFleur added.
LaFleur pushed back on divulging the fundamentals and techniques he’s prepared to have his players deploy in an attempt to stop the tush push. Whether the Packers’ plans work remains to be seen.
“We can have a conversation after the game,” he said.
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