The Buffalo Bills Wanted Tush Push Out Of NFL, Until They Didn't
The Buffalo Bills are unique when it comes to the Tush Push.
They used the play more than any NFL team not named the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
But they voted to ban the play in last week's NFL meeting. And they prominently spoke up against it at the NFL meeting in March. So, the Bills became one of the NFL's more intriguing voices against the Tush Push.
The Bills were so against the play, they became the only team in the AFC East to vote against it. Despite this distaste for the play and their vote, the Tush Push survived last week for the 2025 season in a vote of NFL owners.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills attempts a quarterback sneak in front of Omar Speights #48 of the Los Angeles Rams during a 44-42 Rams win at SoFi Stadium on December 08, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Bills Will Continue To Push
So, guess what?
The Bill are going to continue using the Tush Push in the coming 2025.
"We'll play within the rules," coach Sean McDermott told reporters Tuesday afternoon. "The rules have now been set so we always do our best to play within the rules and the rules that have been set up for us."
That is McDermott giving in to the Tush Push without actually uttering a surrender statement. It's allowed. The Bills will use it as they seem fit as they did in past years.
They'll probably use it a lot because they do it pretty well.
But make no mistake, the Bills are like the person espousing the drawbacks of carbs and then going on weekly pasta and bread binges.
Bills: Rules Allow Tush Push
And their stance now – which is to keep using the play – makes their stance as late as last week when they voted against the play shows how disingenuous the Buffalo vote was.
The Bills, you should understand, disliked the Tush Push because it presented serious injury risks, McDermott said in March.
"I just feel where I'm most concerned is, even though there's not significant data out there to this point, my concern is the health and safety of the players first and foremost," McDermott said then.
But the play lives on.
So the Bills will use it.
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 16: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs for a first down on a quarterback sneak on fourth down in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Injury Concerns Not So Concerning
And all that health and safety concern "first and foremost" gets pushed to the back burner behind a priority to move the chains and make first downs.
You know why?
Because the health and safety concerns were bogus to begin with, as neither the NFL nor any individual team could provide data that showed the play led to more injuries than any other play.
So forward the Bills will go with their pushing of 250-pound quarterback Josh Allen into the line of scrimmage to gain first downs. They may dislike the play, but they'll be taking advantage of it when they feel the need.
Joey Bosa Injured Again
In other Bills news:
Defensive end Joey Bosa, signed this offseason after he was released by the Los Angeles Chargers as a salary cap cut, is nursing a sprained calf he suffered last Thursday. He has been sidelined and is not expected to be ready until training camp, per McDermott.
"It is concerning," McDermott said. "Durability, availability are key ties to our roster."
Bosa has struggled with injuries for much of the last few years, missing 23 of a possible 51 games.
Running back James Cook, meanwhile, continues to miss the voluntary offseason program in Buffalo. He is seeking a contract extension.