Why Andrew Whitworth Is Unbothered by the Tush Push Ban’s Demise
I suppose you might need this spoon-feeding, so here’s the skinny on why ex-NFL veteran Andrew Whitworth isn’t losing sleep over the failed Tush Push ban. Earlier this year, the NFL competition committee proposed outlawing the so-called “Tush Push” quarterback sneak—a last-ditch, high-risk play in which the offense literally shoves its quarterback forward from behind to eke out a yard. The rationale? Safety concerns and perceived unfair advantage. Owners debated it, media outlets like NFL.com dissected it, and pundits on ESPN clamored for clarity—yet when the owners voted, the ban didn’t hit the required 24-team threshold to pass.
Whitworth, the soon-to-be Hall of Famer with 16 seasons under his belt, told TMZ he sees zero issue with the play surviving the rulebook. He reminded everyone it’s “part of the chess match” and praised the guts it takes to execute that bump-and-grind at the line of scrimmage. According to his direct quotes, he believes abrupt rule changes midseason—and especially one that would neuter a cornerstone of goal-line offense—simply aren’t worth the disruption. The former Rams and Bengals lineman has watched countless QBs rely on that shove since its 2021 breakout and, in his view, it’s neither a safety nightmare nor a loophole.
If you missed why this all blew up, blame the NFL’s tweak-happy image. Safety-first zealots pointed to potential head-and-neck collisions once blockers surge into the back of the pocket. Others, citing data from Pro Football Focus, argued it skewed short-yardage efficiency metrics to favor offenses by nearly 15 percent. Yet traditionalists—coaches in locker rooms and veteran players like Whitworth—pushed back. They warned that banning it would be akin to yanking a page from the NFL innovations playbook, and they were right: the final vote tallied just 21 teams in favor.
Whitworth’s take is pure pragmatism: “If it’s working, let it work,” he said, echoing sentiments reported by NFL.com and seconded by ESPN analysis. He also noted that the game can police itself—when blockers overstep or QBs limp forward, referees already have the tools to flag illegal blocks and assess injury risks on the spot. So while you might’ve expected fireworks over this rule-book conflict, Whitworth’s shrug speaks volumes: some plays are too entrenched to kill overnight.
There you have it. Hopefully you managed to follow along, and now you finally understand why one of the NFL’s most respected linemen doesn’t flinch at the Tush Push surviving intact. Well, now you finally understand!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, NFL.com, ESPN
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
