The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, believes that the owners will reach a consensus in May about whether changes in the rules for the rules will be needed Eliminate the push of Tush Play that helped the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl and reach another.
A proposal of the Green Bay Packers to eliminate the play was presented at the League meetings this month, but will be returned to vote when the owners meet again in May.
Some proponents of eliminating the playing point of the player even though there is no evidence of a greater risk of injuries, as well as the fact that the NFL forbidden to push a ball bearer until a rule change was implemented in 2005.
The original proposal of the Packers would only have forbidden to push a player who was aligned directly behind the Pargo and receives the click, immediately in the click. There has also been a discussion about the prohibition of pushing a ball bearer anywhere in the field.
“Many coaches would tell you that it is not part of football, of course. It can be rugby, but it is not us,” said Goodell on Friday at “The Pat Mcafee Show” in the NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
“The second thing is really the security of the game. And that is of primary importance for us. Is it a play that is not sure when you are in those positions in which they push or take you out and you cannot control where you are going? Those are the two factors. On the other side, there is a legitimate argument that everyone can do it, and you know, if someone makes it better than others, it is the way the game is played.”
24 of 32 votes are needed to approve the changes of rules and none of the sides of the argument had a clear support in the league meetings earlier this month.
“There were different concepts that were discussed. I would say there was a division,” said Goodell in the McAfee program. “There was no overwhelming impulse in any way, but I think that as people see the different things that the committee has been considering and listening to the conversation, I think they will really develop a consensus.”
Goodell played several other topics in the interview:
Goodell touched another potential change of rules that was presented until May, saying that you think there could be a modification to Detroit’s proposal to sow the playoffs per record instead of guaranteeing the winners of the division a top seed and at least one game at home. The lions made the proposal after Minnesota was forced to go to the road as a wild card despite winning four games more than the Rams last season.
Goodell said he believes that the owners could approve a smaller movement to deny the winners of the division a game at home if they end with a losing record.
“The question is at some point, if you are not .500 or better, do you deserve the ability to have a game at home too?” asked. “I think it’s quite difficult to discuss.”
There have been four winners of the division in a shortened season that was not shortened that organized a playoff game despite having a losing record, with Tampa Bay the last to do so in 2022.
Goodell is still committed to adding a regular season 18 game to the schedule in the future. The NFL went from 16 games to 17 in 2021, reducing the preseason to three games, and would like to reach a model of regular seasonal and two pre -season games.
Goodell said he believes that the changes in the team, the rules of practice and the low season program have improved sufficient security to add another week of games and the income it entails. But the League needs the approval of the NFLPA to do so.
“They have the right to approve it,” he said. “So that will be really important for us, having that conversation, saying that, we can grow the cake and we will get a percentage of it. Is it the right step? I think we firmly feel that it is, but that can be something that will have to happen in the long term. It may not be something in the short term.”
The NFL will play games in Ireland and Spain for the first time this season and is scheduled for the first game in Australia in 2026, expanding the number of countries to organize a regular season game to eight outside the United States. Goodell said the long -term plan is to reach 16 international games a year, compared to seven scheduled for this season.
“I think we’ll get to Asia very soon,” he said. “I think we can be worldwide with our game.”
Goodell said he was satisfied with the two Christmas Games in Netflix last season and said the NFL will be a basic element on vacation in the future. There will be three games at Christmas this year, when it falls on Thursday, and said that the League plans to play at least three Christmas games every year in the future.
He also said that there will be a small adjustment in the Thanksgiving calendar with the annual game of the Detroit Lions that moves from 12:30 pm et al 1 pm et.
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Sports writer AP Steve Megargee contributed to this report
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