DC Defenders head coach Shannon Harris raises the UFL Championship trophy after defeating the Michigan Panthers in the 2025 UFL Championship at The Dome at America’s Center. Jeff Le-Imagn Images

UFL to make tush push decision that NFL teams couldn't push through

By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Feb 24, 2026 11:27 AM ET

The tush push looked like it couldn't be stopped for a while, especially when the Philadelphia Eagles were running it. But by 2025, the play lost some of its punch, and the Eagles weren't using it nearly as much.

That took some heat off the situation around the league. NFL competition committee members who had been worried about safety risks have gone quiet on the issue.

Rich McKay, the committee's co-chair, spoke ahead of the NFL Combine on Sunday and said no team is expected to bring up a proposal to ban the play this offseason, per ESPN.

Really, only two franchises have kept using it consistently, the Eagles and the Buffalo Bills. A topic that caused plenty of arguments over the last year probably will not get much attention in 2026. Teams that wanted the play gone could not get enough support to make it happen.

The momentum faded, and so did the effort to get rid of it. The UFL has a different take on things. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the league is getting rid of the tush push entirely.

While the NFL no longer is discussing a Tush Push ban, the UFL will announce today that is eliminating the Tush Push.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 24, 2026

UFL makes ban of tush push official

The spring league made it official on Tuesday that the play won't be allowed during the 2026 season. That is just one piece of a larger set of rule changes the UFL announced. Another adjustment could shift how coaches approach certain situations.

Field goals from 60 yards out or farther will now be worth four points instead of three. That extra point matters when teams are looking at long third downs in that range. Coaches are going to factor that in.

The league also dropped punts from inside the opponent's 50-yard line, unless it's the final two minutes of a half. If a penalty or a bad play pushes the ball back past midfield, teams still cannot punt. They have to go for it.

Yagya Bhargava

Yagya Bhargava began his professional journey as a chef, but his passion for sports eventually led him into sports journalism. He started writing in 2022 and has since published more than 5,000 articles covering the NFL and NBA. Along the way, he’s worked with outlets like The Cold Wire, Sportskeeda, The SportsRush, and The Big Lead

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