Could Patriots’ ‘Tush Push’ Vote Signal Big Season For Drake Maye?

The Patriots helped save the “tush push,” but it does make one wonder if there were any underlying motivations.

New England reportedly was among 10 teams to vote against a proposal to ban the “tush push,” a play made popular by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Green Bay Packers submitted the proposal and supporters cited player safety as the primary reason to ban the play. However, it did not receive the 24 votes necessary to pass.

It’s obvious why the Eagles wouldn’t want the play banned, but what’s the Patriots’ motivation to keep the play? Well, Mike Vrabel made that clear last month.

“There’s a lot of plays that you have to defend, whether that’s quarterback sneaks, whether that’s read zone — there’s a lot of plays that are hard to defend, and I don’t think that you can get rid of them every time that you have a tough time stopping it,” Vrabel said in an interview with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I mean, Lamar Jackson shouldn’t be able to run with the football anymore, how about making that rule? Like that’s tough to defend.”

Simple enough, right? Vrabel is the ultimate competitor and doesn’t want to back down from a challenge. But wait, does the Patriots head coach have the formula to stop the play? Vrabel served as a consultant last season, but it’s unclear how much input he had on Kevin Stefanski’s staff. But his time with the Cleveland Browns would allow him time to reset and view the trends around the league.

New England’s reported vote against a ban could also signal how it could use Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback is three inches taller and two pounds heavier than Jalen Hurts, at least based on official measurements. He theoretically could execute the play. The Patriots also invested more in their offensive line, and Vrabel wants to play tougher football. That sounds like a perfect recipe for a “tush push,” and the departure of Jacoby Brissett means a lack of a sure QB-sneak option.

Maye’s injuries were a concern in his rookie season, but it would be foolish of Josh McDaniels to not use all of the 22-year-old’s gifts.

The Eagles built the blueprint for a championship contender, and it seemed like the Patriots tried to follow that this offseason. So it might not be that surprising if they took another sprinkle for Philly and started utilizing the “tush push” to maul opponents.