2026 NFL Rule Changes: Tush Push to Stay; 5 Proposals to be Voted on

The tush push will live on for at least another season. 

Following another year of debate over the legality of the tush push, a proposal on whether to ban the play will not be voted on at the NFL's league meetings in Arizona next week. However, the competition committee will push forward five other proposed rule changes for the 2026 NFL season next Tuesday. 

"There is less talk about it in the football community," said Rich McKay, the chair of the competition committee.

A proposal to ban the tush push was voted on last May, with the NFL owners voting 22-10 in favor of banning the play. But all proposed rule changes need at least 24 votes in order to be approved. 

The tush push faced scrutiny during the Philadelphia Eagles' run to a Super Bowl title in 2024, with the play being one of the most successful plays in the NFL that season. Philadelphia continued to use the tush push in 2025, and there was speculation that the play would be removed from the game this offseason. In the Eagles' Week 2 win over the Kansas City Chiefs this past year, there were multiple instances where it appeared players on Philadelphia's offensive line were offside. FOX Sports NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino questioned the legality of the play during that game, but later said he thought it was "50-50" that the play would get banned. 

As for the other proposed rule changes, the NFL is preparing for the possibility of replacement officials in the 2026 season, proposing a rule change for one season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct any "clear and obvious" mistakes by on-field officials in case of a work stoppage. There are also a few proposed changes that would slightly tweak the kick-off rule and allow the replay center to