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The Buffalo Bills survived a Wild Card scare on Sunday, edging out the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24 to advance in the NFL playoffs. But the postgame conversation took a sharp turn from celebration to rulebook philosophy, thanks to head coach Sean McDermott.
In the dying moments of the game, the Bills needed to convert a short-yardage situation to ice the victory. Naturally, they turned to their cheat code: the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Josh Allen. The Bills executed a quarterback sneak, effectively the controversial “tush push” to move the chains and kneel out the clock.
Yet, minutes later, McDermott was calling for the play’s extinction. When asked about his stance on the play, McDermott didn’t mince words, doubling down on his belief that the league should intervene.
“My position hasn’t really changed at all, even though there’s not significant data out there at this point, my biggest concern is the health and safety of the players,” McDermott said. “There’s other data out there that suggests that when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about that that could lead to serious injury and I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”
Bills HC Sean McDermott was asked about his stance on wanting to ban the tush push after Buffalo ran that play today to ice the game vs the Jags.
via @EliotShorrParks pic.twitter.com/BoWKaXdD2H
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 11, 2026
It’s a fascinating dichotomy. McDermott is actively campaigning against a play that his team uses with lethal efficiency. Allen was a wrecking ball all afternoon, finishing with 273 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 11 carries. His ability to bulldoze through piles is a massive reason Buffalo is moving on to the Divisional Round.
Until the NFL Competition Committee actually drops the ban hammer, however, don’t expect McDermott to stop calling it. He might worry about the safety risks, but in the playoffs, the only thing that matters is the scoreboard.
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