Josh Allen Defends the "Tush Push": A Play Worth Keeping in the NFL

AP Photo/David Dermer

The “tush push” play, formally a quarterback sneak supported by teammates physically pushing the quarterback forward, has become one of the most polarizing strategies in the NFL. While 22 of the league’s 32 teams recently voted to ban the play at the NFL owners meetings, one notable voice has publicly defended it: Buffalo Bills quarterback and reigning NFL MVP, Josh Allen. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Allen made his case clear, stating, “If you can’t stop it, keep running it.” His comments add a competitive perspective to a growing conversation about whether the play belongs in professional football. Allen’s stance is particularly interesting because the Bills were one of the teams that voted to ban the play. However, Allen emphasized that just because a few teams—most notably the Philadelphia Eagles—run the play more effectively doesn’t mean it should be outlawed. “I think that there’s a few teams that do it better than others,” Allen said, “but then you look at a few teams that try to do it, and it doesn’t have the same success.” According to Allen, differences in team execution, personnel, and preparation are what make the play work, not a flaw in the rules themselves. Critics of the tush push argue that the play resembles a rugby scrum more than a traditional football move. Their concern is not only about the aesthetics of the play but also the potential for injury and imbalance. The act of teammates pushing the ballcarrier forward was illegal in the NFL until 2005. Since then, it has become a tactical advantage that only a handful of teams, particularly those with strong offensive lines like the Eagles, can exploit successfully. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has acknowledged these concerns and suggested that the rule could be revisited in future seasons.

Despite the opposition, Allen maintains a pragmatic view. He expressed a willingness to adapt to rule changes but sees no need to ban something simply because it works well. “If you can use it to your benefit, use it to your benefit,” he said. “If you don’t like it, my advice is to stop it, you know?” His comments underscore a core belief among athletes: winning strategies should be countered with better defense, not legislation. During the recent NFL meetings, Eagles representatives—including owner Jeffrey Lurie, former center Jason Kelce, and general manager Jon Ferrari—spent nearly an hour explaining how the play is coached and practiced. Their presentation seemed to underscore that success with the tush push is not a fluke but the result of detailed preparation and personnel management. Whether teams like Allen’s Bills took away insights from that discussion remains to be seen. In the end, the debate over the tush push reveals broader tensions within the NFL—between innovation and tradition, safety and strategy, fairness and excellence. While the play remains legal for the 2025 season, the growing support for a ban means it could be on the chopping block next year. Until then, quarterbacks like Josh Allen will likely continue to use every tool at their disposal to win, including the controversial, but currently legal, push.