NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell believes house owners will come to a consensus in Might on whether or not rule modifications will likely be wanted to eradicate the tush push play that’s helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Tremendous Bowl and attain one other.
A proposal by the Green Bay Packers to eradicate the play was tabled on the league conferences this month however will likely be introduced again up for a vote when the house owners meet once more in Might.
Some proponents of eliminating the play level to participant security though there is not any proof of an elevated damage danger, in addition to the truth that the NFL prohibited pushing a ball service till a rule change that was put in place in 2005.
The unique proposal by the Packers would have solely banned pushing a participant who was lined up instantly behind the snapper and receives the snap, instantly on the snap. There has additionally been dialogue about banning pushing a ball service at any spot on the sphere.
“A number of coaches would inform you that’s not a part of soccer, proper. It could be rugby nevertheless it’s not us,” Goodell stated Friday on “The Pat McAfee Present” on the NFL draft in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin.
“The second factor is absolutely the protection of the sport. And that’s of main significance to us. Is it a play that’s unsafe once you’re in these positions the place you’re getting pushed or pulled and you’ll’t management the place you’re going. These are the 2 components. On the opposite aspect, there’s a professional argument that everybody can do it, and you realize, if any person does it higher than the others, that’s the best way the sport is performed.”
It takes 24 of 32 votes to approve rule modifications and neither aspect of the argument had clear assist on the league conferences earlier this month.
“There have been totally different ideas that had been mentioned. I’d say there was a cut up,” Goodell stated on McAfee’s present. “There wasn’t an amazing push both means, however I believe as individuals see the various things the committee has been contemplating and listen to the dialog, I believe that they’ll really develop a consensus.”
Goodell touched on a number of different matters within the interview:
Playoff seeding
Goodell touched on one other potential rule change that was tabled till Might, saying he believes there could possibly be a modification to the proposal from Detroit to seed the playoffs by report as an alternative of guaranteeing the division winners a top-four seed and no less than one dwelling recreation. The Lions made the proposal after Minnesota was compelled to go on the street as a wild-card regardless of profitable 4 extra video games than the Rams final season.
Goodell stated he believes the house owners might approve a smaller transfer to disclaim division winners a house recreation in the event that they end with a shedding report.
“The query is in some unspecified time in the future, when you’re not .500 or higher, do you deserve the flexibility to have a house recreation, too?” he requested. “I believe that’s fairly onerous to argue.”
There have been 4 division winners in a non-strike-shortened season who hosted a playoff recreation regardless of having a shedding report, with Tampa Bay the final to do it in 2022.
18th recreation
Goodell stays dedicated to including an 18th regular-season recreation to the schedule sooner or later. The NFL went from 16 video games to 17 in 2021, decreasing the preseason to 3 video games, and wish to get to a mannequin of 18 regular-season and two preseason video games.
Goodell stated he believes modifications in gear, apply guidelines and the offseason program have improved security sufficient so as to add one other week of video games and the income that comes with it. However the league wants approval from the NFLPA to do it.
“They’ve a proper to approve it,” he stated. “In order that’s going to be actually necessary for us, in having that dialog, say sure, we will develop the pie, they usually get a share of it. Is it the correct step? I believe we really feel strongly that it’s, however which may be one thing that should occur over a long run. It will not be a shorter-term factor.”
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Worldwide play
The NFL will likely be taking part in video games in Eire and Spain for the primary time this season and are set for the primary recreation in Australia in 2026, increasing the variety of international locations to host a regular-season recreation to eight exterior america. Goodell stated the long-term plan is to get to 16 worldwide video games a yr, up from seven scheduled for this season.
“I believe we’ll get to Asia fairly quickly,” he stated. “I believe we might be worldwide with our recreation.”
Vacation play
Goodell stated he was happy with the league’s two Christmas video games on Netflix final season and stated the NFL will likely be a staple on the vacation going ahead. There will likely be three video games on Christmas this yr, when it falls on a Thursday, and he stated the league plans to play no less than three Christmas video games yearly going ahead.
He additionally stated there will likely be a small tweak to the Thanksgiving schedule with the Detroit Lions’ annual dwelling recreation shifting from 12:30 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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