We probably all knew, at some point, the Tush Push was going to become a talking point. It is, after all, football season.
This year, it lasted all the way until Week 2.
Fox Sports color commentator and 7-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady called out the Philadelphia Eagles for their famous short yardage play in a 20-17 win by the Eagles over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
“It’s like (the Eagles) start every position at 1st and 9 because they’re stealing a yard with that play every time,” Brady said on September 14.
The Eagles used the Tush Push 5 times in the fourth quarter, including on a controversial 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Hurts to give the Eagles a 20-10 lead with 7:48 left in the game.
On that play, all 3 of the Eagles’ interior offensive linemen appeared to be offsides before the ball was snapped.
Swift Public Backlash To Controversial Play
Brady wasn’t the only one who seemed to be calling out the Eagles over their rugby style play, which has proven to be pretty much unstoppable.
“I like the Tush Push,” Underdog’s Hayden Winks wrote on his official X account. “Always have. But if we are being honest about it this year, the Eagles are lining up offsides and jumping the snap early.”
“The Eagles commit about 5 penalties during a Tush Push, and the NFL just doesn’t call them,” Washington Commanders superfan Chris Bryant wrote on his official X account. “Center is offsides, guards false start. Ban the play.”
“Eagles fans, this ain’t a shot at you,” Missouri KOLR TV’s Jesse Inman wrote on X. “They’re smart for running a play the referees allow them to break TWO rules on. Got 2-3 players lined up offsides every time (center, guards). PLUS, the refs completely disregard the false start.”
“Tush Push is bad for the game,” NFL reporter Kevin Sheehan wrote on X. “Not because it works for 1 team more than any other but because the play isn’t officiated properly. False starts/offsides for most part ignored. The play slows the pace of game too. This will be the last yr. They’ll get votes to abolish next time.”
Tush Push’s Days Might Be Numbered
The NFL delivered a stunning decision on May 21 with owners voting to keep the “Tush Push” play that has proven to be almost unstoppable for the Eagles in short yardage situations. The vote was helped by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and legendary Eagles center Jason Kelce making impassioned please to keep it in place.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the vote fell 2 shorts vote of the “Tush Push” being banned.
“Final vote on the proposed ban of the Tush Push, per sources: 22-10,” Schefter wrote on his official X account. “At least 24 votes were needed to ban The Tush Push.”
In its current version the play — also known as “The Brotherly Shove” — Hurts lines up under center with 2 teammates behind him in a short-yardage situation. Hurts takes the ball and his teammates come from behind and shove him toward the yardage he needs.