Is the Eagles’ tush push here to stay? The NFL is indicating there’s little movement on a potential ban.

INDIANAPOLIS — The league might not be pushing the “tush push” out of the Eagles’ playbook just yet.

In an interview with PFT Live on Thursday, NFL executive vice president of football operations and Eagles Hall of Fame cornerback Troy Vincent said that the competition committee did not discuss the push sneak in its meetings at the combine.

Vincent said that while the Eagles popularized the push play and became dominant at it, teams around the league started to run it with their own wrinkles this season.

“They were very creative,” Vincent said. “That was a very creative look, and they were doing different things out of it. It was, ‘Hey, don’t punish a team that strategically does it well.’ ”

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This view is an evolution of the position that the competition committee took on the play last offseason. In the annual competition committee report, which was given to each team at the annual league meeting in March, the group said it discussed the push play but was“split on recommending any rule change at [that] time.”

Instead, it recommended that NFL football operations monitor offenses for their techniques. During games, they encouraged officials to pay attention to neutral-zone infractions by both the offense and defense, false starts, illegal formations by the offense, and chop blocks.

Because the competition committee did not propose a rule change last offseason involving the tush push, the league had the opportunity to compile a bigger sample size of related injury data. Vincent said in Thursday’s interview that there are “very few injuries” that result from the play.

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The competition committee generally seeks to ensure that the game is both fair and competitive while protecting players from injury. Leading up to the competition committee meetings at the combine, NFL football operations review injury data on any potential change to the rules. The competition committee will then look over that information with the league’s medical advisers at the combine meetings.

Although the competition committee did not discuss the tush push, Vincent said that he wants to avoid potential player safety-related issues that could arise, especially injuries to those who jump over top of the pile. Vincent also noted that competition committee member Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, expressed some concern over defensive tackles that have to defend the play as though they’re lining up for a field-goal attempt.

Tomlin is one of eight members on the competition committee. The group welcomed two new members in Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay this season. Leaving were former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, and former Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich.

McDermott said Monday that the group did not discuss the play at the combine. He refrained from sharing his personal view, although the Bills offense with quarterback Josh Allen ran the play with success this season.

“My stance on the push play is that whatever the league decides is the best thing, that’s what we’ll do,” McDermott said. “I’ve just been one over the years, not just because I’m on the committee now, but I’ll voice my opinion on it and what I feel like is best for the game and then we adjust as needed.”

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Even though the competition committee may be unlikely to recommend a rule banning the tush push at the annual league meeting, scheduled for March 24-27 in Orlando, Vincent noted that it will discuss the play with the 32 team owners so everyone has a chance to weigh in on the topic.

“We always say we can have a discussion in here, but the membership will decide on what moves forward or what doesn’t,” Vincent said.

For a prospective new rule or a rule change to be implemented, 75% percent of the owners (24 of 32) must vote in its favor. Any NFL club can propose a new rule or a rule change, which would be shared at the annual league meeting and put up to the same vote among the owners.

Last season, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense converted or scored on 35 of 42 tush push attempts (83.3%), according to Sports Info Solutions. In 2022, the Eagles converted on 29 of 32 attempts (90.6%).

The Eagles’ version of the play earned its various nicknames because players line up behind Hurts to help push him across the line in short-yardage situations.

The NFL has allowed offensive players to push a ballcarrier forward since 2005. Previously, the play had been illegal.