The Philadelphia Eagles staple play, the “tush push,” has been one of the most dominant plays that the game of football has ever seen. The play involves the quarterback, Jalen Hurts (who squats 600 pounds), running a quarterback sneak behind the best offensive line in football, while the two running backs behind him push his rearend to help him run. This play is run whenever the eagles need under three yards.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons believes that even though the play is overpowered, the league shouldn’t remove the play.
“So yes, it’s a cheat code, it’s OD. We just have to deal with it, we have to adjust. I don’t want to be a part of a league that’s like, ‘Hey, I can’t stop something. I’m not strong enough. Take it out the game.’ No, guys, this is football, we gotta man up,” says Parsons.
The reason Goodell looks to ban the play is because of how high the success rate is. Since the Eagles started running the play in 2022, they have had a 92% success rate. Fans from all over the league have been begging Goodell to ban the play because the Eagles can pick up any first down or touchdown from five yards away, almost guaranteed. But, most importantly, the main reason Goodell looks to ban the play is for health reasons. When the entire offensive line dives forward, injuries are bound to happen.
Eagles center Jason Kelce is over the debate and doesn’t care if the play gets banned.
“We were really good at running quarterback sneaks before we did the push. I don’t think that it’s a necessary part for it. It certainly helps, there’s no question about it. I don’t have the energy to care about whether it gets banned or not. We’re going to run it right now because we’re good at it and it’s effective, and whatever they do next season, we’ll figure out a way to do something at a high level and make it effective,” says Kelce.
If the play is banned, it would enter a very exclusive club as not many plays are banned. Plays like draining the clock on punts and jumping over the line on extra points are plays that have been banned in the past. However, the league has been trying to protect its players a lot more by establishing rules during the game. The “tush push” has been one of the biggest debates in football, but it also isn’t the only thing being banned to protect the players. Hip drop tackles and offensive players dropping their heads have also been being talked about.
Jalen Hurts believes that they just have the perfect team for the play and nobody can do it as well as them.
“I have no thoughts on it… We’re the only people that are doing it as well as we are. There was a guy who wanted me hurt for it, too,” says Hurts.
