While most NFL fans are looking toward the upcoming playoffs, the league’s owners and stakeholders convened in Dallas on Wednesday to address a host of issues that will affect the NFL in both the near and short-term future.
What did NFL owners discuss and vote on this week? Here’s the latest on the Tush Push, an upcoming Super Bowl venue, additional international games, and more.
Latest News From 2023 NFL Owners Meetings
Will the NFL Ban the Tush Push?
While many non-Philadelphia Eagles fans have called for the end of the Tush Push/Brotherly Shove — Jalen Hurts’ patented rugby-style quarterback sneak, which is nearly impossible to stop — the NFL doesn’t seem inclined to do anything about Philadelphia’s signature play.
Asked about the Tush Push and the idea that the league would try to eliminate it, NFL executive vice president of operations Troy Vincent said, “That was false,” adding that the “play has evolved,” according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Moreover, Vincent said the league would not try to alter its rules simply because one team was good at something. NFL health czar Jeff Miller suggested the Tush Push’s sample size is too small for the league to determine whether it presents an increased health safety risk.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he does not favor banning the Brotherly Shove. While reports have indicated NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants to ban the play, Miller indicated today that Goodell has no position on the Tush Push.
Regardless of what discussions took place at the owners’ meetings, the Tush Push will remain in place through at least the 2023 season.
Los Angeles Awarded Super Bowl LXI
The NFL’s owners unanimously voted Tuesday to give Super Bowl LXI (61) — which will be played in February 2027 — to Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Super Bowl LXI will mark the ninth time the Super Bowl has been played in Los Angeles. It will also be the second time in five years. The Rams won Super Bowl LVI on their home turf in February 2022.
MORE: Have the Same Two Teams Ever Played in the Super Bowl in Consecutive Years?
“We’re unbelievably excited about the opportunity to host another Super Bowl in the L.A. region,” Kathy Schloessman, chief executive of the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee, told the Los Angeles Times.
“There were a lot of things that we wanted to do around the last Super Bowl in L.A. that we weren’t able to do because of COVID[-19], so we’re getting a chance to fulfill some of those.”
NFL Will Play in Brazil in 2024
The NFL is expanding its international play, beginning with a game in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2024. This will mark the league’s first foray into South America. The game will be played at Arena Corinthians, which also held the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
“Bringing the NFL to new continents, countries, and cities around the world is a critical element of our plan to continue to grow the game globally,” Goodell said in a statement.
“Brazil has established itself as a key market for the NFL, and we are excited to be playing in Brazil and São Paulo for the first time in 2024. We look forward to working with the city of São Paulo, SP Turis, and Arena Corinthians to deliver a world-class gameday experience for this passionate and growing fan base.”
Meanwhile, the NFL announced it will play up to eight international games annually beginning in 2025. The league held five international games in 2023 — three in London and two in Frankfurt, Germany.
Latest on Hip-Drop Tackles
Hip-drop tackles — in which a defender wraps his arms around an offensive player, collapses to the ground, and often lands on the ball carrier’s legs — have become controversial, especially after star Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews suffered a severe ankle/leg injury earlier this season.
Asked if the NFL will ban hip-drops, Vincent didn’t hold back.
“I think we have to now,” Vincent said Wednesday while calling the hip-drop a “gruesome play,” per the Washington Post’s Mark Maske.
Goodell was on the same page, suggesting the league would “work to get that out of the game.”
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