The AFC coaches were peppered with questions at the annual league meeting on Monday, with many relating to the proposed rule change on the "tush push."
Three-time Super Bowl winner Andy Reid did not outright say he'd like to see the play banned. But the Chiefs head coach did note that if there's a significant injury risk, then changing the rules should be under consideration.
"Yeah, I don’t know, you can argue it either way. I’ve felt like it’s a successful play," Reid said on Monday. "If there’s a problem with injury, possible injury, you’ve got to look at it. So, I would listen, probably, to the medical people on it, see what they think about the body mechanics. You don't want to go through something like Buffalo went through — if it’s a neck situation, it’s going to be a risk. I think you have to listen to the whole story.
"[T]here’s a whole medical side of it," Reid later added. "I give them credit because they’ve done a heck of a job with it. Tough play to stop. But, then you’re listening to that and the medical side and you probably could go either way with it. But I would say, if it’s putting a player in a bad position, then you probably have to do something about it. But if it’s not, it’s a heck of a play."
Some have argued that because defenses can't push, then offenses shouldn't either.
"I’ve listened to that," Reid said. "Listen, if it’s an injury concern, then that’s what you have to do. So, you listen to your medical people, see what their thought is, probably go that direction."
And so for Reid, it appears to be a medical/injury situation more than anything else. We'll see if the proposed ban has enough votes to pass in the coming days.
