Facing stiff resistance around the NFL, the tush push managed to move the chains and gain a fresh set of downs.

League owners narrowly failed to pass a proposal to prohibit the polarizing short-yardage strategy at their spring meetings in Eagan, Minn., on Wednesday, keeping the rulebook as is — and pleasing the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The ban on offensive players from pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping or encircling a runner was supported by a 22-10 vote, according to multiple reports. That’s two votes short of the three-quarters majority required by league bylaws to pass it.

The health and safety committees for both the players and the owners and the league’s competition committee all unanimously recommended the proposal, which was formally brought forward by the Green Bay Packers at the previous league meetings in Florida seven weeks ago and tabled for further discussion. Such a ban previously existed and was lifted 20 years ago because it was deemed too difficult to consistently enforce.

“We don’t set a low bar,” said Atlanta Falcons chief executive officer Rich McKay, the chairman of the competition committee. “There was a lot of support for it, a lot of discussion about it. I’ve been in that room numerous times where we’ve had these types of discussions, where one team ends up being, in their mind, more impacted than others. It still takes 24 votes, and in this case those votes were not there.”

The Eagles brought former center Jason Kelce, one of the players who fueled the success of the tush push, to the meetings to provide a first-hand account of the play that assigns a teammate to push the backside of the quarterback for extra power behind a tight nine-man line.

Kelce, a seven-time Pro Bowl pick who retired after the 2023 season, said recently he wasn’t as concerned about a ban of the tush push as he was about clearing up misconceptions it poses an injury risk and was partially responsible for his decision to end his career.

“I’ll come out of retirement today if you tell me all I’ve got to do is run 80 tush pushes to play in the NFL,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast with his brother, Travis Kelce. “It’ll be the easiest job in the world.”

Kelce declined comment as he departed the meetings at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, where Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie led an impassioned defense of the maneuver his team developed into a nearly unstoppable play. The NFL has no conclusive data supporting a connection between the tush push and an increased risk of injury, as Lurie has noted. He said he was pleased by the vote result but declined further comment.

Also, the Detroit Lions withdrew their proposal to reseed teams for the playoffs — in order of record rather than awarding the first four spots to division winners — before a vote was taken.

This is an issue that could well come up again in the near future, particularly if an 18-game regular-season schedule is implemented. Goodell said there was no discussion of the additional game, which players oppose, in the meetings this week.

Colts owner Irsay dies

Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts’ owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died Wednesday at age 65.

Pete Ward, Irsay’s longtime right-hand man and the team’s chief operating officer, made the announcement in a statement from the team. He said Irsay died peacefully in his sleep.

“Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed,” Ward said.

Raiders’ Wilkins not close to return

Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is facing an uncertain recovery process from a broken foot suffered last season and isn’t close to returning, Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll said.

Wilkins was at organized team activities practice, but did not participate. He received extra work on the side afterward.

“It’s been a difficult recovery and he’s done everything he needs to do,” Carroll said. “He’s not ready to get back out. We’re in the midst of a long, challenging process.”

Wilkins, 29, was the Raiders’ marquee free-agent signing last year, agreeing to a four-year, $110 million contract with $82.75 million guaranteed.

He was expected to bolster a defensive line led by pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce after making a career-high nine sacks in 2023 with Miami to go with his elite run-stopping ability. All three linemen, however, suffered season-ending injuries.

Wilkins had two sacks and 17 tackles in five games before injuring his foot, which required surgery. He suffered a Jones fracture — a break of the bone that connects the pinkie toe to the base of the foot.

Ward signs rookie deal

The Tennessee Titans have known they wanted Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall draft pick for a long time, and now they have their rookie quarterback signed to his first NFL contract. Ward’s deal is reportedly worth $48.7 million over four years.