The fans you saw are auxiliary, not main, fans. They turn on for additional cooling and when the A/C is on.
The main fan is always behind the radiator. Having the main fan behind the radiator is more efficient and allows for a shroud with bypass flaps for higher-airflow operation on the highway.
Go to aftermarket fan sites (i.e. SPAL) and you'll see that pusher fans are rated less than puller fans.
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