BILL SNYDER DOESN’T perceive what all of the fuss is about.
The legendary Kansas State coach, 85 years outdated and retired from teaching, cannot keep in mind precisely what the Wildcats known as the play as a result of it was simply an add-on to a sneak. He did not — and nonetheless does not — assume it was very modern or artistic.
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
“It was only a pure factor to do,” he informed ESPN of the play that will turn out to be referred to as the “tush push” and ultimately encourage a raging NFL-wide debate. “We have to create a manner wherein we may take the shortest distance to get the quick distance we would have liked to go and never get held up, as a result of all people put all of the folks over there, so we needed to compete in opposition to irrespective of how many individuals you set there. We needed to be robust sufficient to not get held up on the line of scrimmage. And we might convey one or two, or from time to time, three backs up proper off of the hip of the middle, and on the snap of the ball, we might push the middle or push the again of the quarterback.”
Snyder stated he isn’t conscious of anybody operating the play earlier than his Wildcats groups, who added the play quickly after 2013, when pushing grew to become authorized in faculty soccer. His offensive coordinator, Dana Dimel, took the idea with him to UTEP when he grew to become head coach there in 2018 and experimented with operating faux sneaks off of it. (Dimel died in 2023.) Snyder stated that generally opposing coaches would complain to officers throughout video games however that it by no means went additional than that as a result of the play was inside the guidelines. He stated he has by no means heard from any NFL coaches about it. He is undecided the Eagles even knew he was operating the play years earlier than they had been, and he definitely does not imagine it was particular sufficient to warrant such consideration.
“It was like another play,” Snyder stated. “It was only a play in our repertoire, and that is what we did on sure events, and we did not deal with it any otherwise than another play that we had.”
However that is not how the league workplace or a majority of NFL homeowners take a look at the play. For cited causes together with well being and security and tempo of play, a big group of groups that believes pushing has no place in soccer tried to ban the tush push. These efforts got here up quick, with 10 groups voting down the efforts to ban it Wednesday.
Though what was doubtless the primary tush push happened in Manhattan, Kansas, Eagles coach and former Colts OC Nick Sirianni has credited Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, former Colts head coach and Eagles assistant Frank Reich, and quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Jacoby Brissett for uplifting the play. Although almost each workforce within the NFL has run it, the Eagles are the face of the play (or maybe the tush of it). It was Philadelphia that ran what some believed could be the ultimate such play in its Tremendous Bowl LIX win over the Chiefs — the workforce’s first landing of the sport — when Jalen Hurts powered his manner into the Caesars Superdome finish zone.
When requested in March how he would really feel if he ended up being the final coach to name a tush push, Saints coach and former Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore stated: “Give credit score to Jalen and all these guys for making a play that somebody determined we’re simply going to make a rule as much as cease it. “
In the long run, an impossible-to-stop play remained inconceivable to cease, even for the league workplace and a convention room full of homeowners.
0:41
Saquon Barkley to tush push critics: ‘Get higher at stopping it’
Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley discusses the tush push debate earlier than this yr’s Met Gala.
IN THE THREE-ISH-YEAR NFL lifespan of the play, 28 of 32 groups have run a variation of it. The one 4 golf equipment which have by no means pushed the participant taking the direct snap on a sneak are ones which have smaller or presumably extra fragile quarterbacks — Miami, Carolina and Washington, plus New Orleans, which has a dynamic backup in Taysom Hill along with his personal short-yardage packages.
Not each push sneak is made equal (some characteristic a really late and sure incidental push from a operating again out of the I-formation), and there’s no particular stat accessible to ESPN to filter for the distinct formation that we acknowledge because the Eagles tush push, the place the offensive line is crouched low to the bottom and the operating backs, tight ends or receivers cluster on either side of the quarterback or behind him in a tripod form. So ESPN’s push sneak numbers replicate every kind of sneaks the place the participant taking the direct snap underneath middle is pushed by one other participant at any level.
Since 2022, 12 groups have scored touchdowns utilizing the tush push. Philadelphia has run extra tush pushes than another workforce (124 for 106 first downs and 33 touchdowns, almost twice the variety of push sneaks because the Payments, the workforce with the second most) and transformed 85.5% of them, however Buffalo has a greater first-down success charge than the Eagles, and has transformed 88.2% (60 of 68 makes an attempt) for first downs.
Although no different workforce has come near operating the play as a lot because the Eagles, Philadelphia’s success with the tush push coincided with a leaguewide improve in quarterback sneaks.
In 2016, the primary yr ESPN began monitoring quarterback sneaks, there have been 109 sneaks. By 2020, that quantity had doubled to 234, and by 2023, the yr after the Eagles ramped up their very own sneak utilization and leaned into the tush push, the leaguewide sneak utilization plateaued at triple the 2016 quantity: 341 sneaks.
Even when handed, the proposal would not have prevented the quarterback sneak, simply the pushing facet, and, because the Eagles stated a number of occasions throughout their advocacy for this play at league conferences this offseason, their success charge has really been increased on sneaks with out pushing.
Based on ESPN knowledge, which has recognized push sneaks for the reason that 2022 season, the Eagles have run solely six common non-push sneaks within the final three seasons, in contrast with 124 push sneaks.
Their success charge on common sneaks is 83.3%, 2.3 proportion factors decrease than their success charge when pushing.
Lament the continued legality of the tush push in the event you should, or select to have a good time its greatest qualities: The tush push is modern; it is environment friendly; and it requires extra talent and approach than you may assume. The tush push is way from lifeless … lengthy dwell the tush push?
The primary one
Nov. 21, 2021The begin of the Tush Push period. pic.twitter.com/eJejydq41E
— Kalyn Kahler (@kalynkahler) Might 14, 2025
Opposite to standard perception, the primary Eagles tush push really occurred as early as 2021. Stoutland and his O-line group led by middle Jason Kelce had been a fan of the quarterback sneak effectively earlier than Sirianni arrived as the top coach that January. Throughout earlier coach Doug Pederson’s tenure, the Eagles had pushed the boundaries of going for it on fourth down and had used quarterback sneaks with the cellular, 6-foot-5 and 230-plus-pound Wentz to transform lots of them.
In 2021, Hurts’ first full season because the Eagles’ beginning quarterback, that short-yardage philosophy continued. And within the first quarter of a Week 11 sport at residence vs. the Saints, tight finish Dallas Goedert motioned left throughout the formation after which got here again to the precise to settle in simply behind Hurts. On the snap, he pushed to assist Hurts get the yard wanted.
It was the one certainly one of their 18 sneaks that yr that featured a deliberate push. However the subsequent yr, the Eagles almost doubled their sneak complete, operating 35 sneaks in a yr that ended within the Tremendous Bowl, 16 of which had been push sneaks. They even ran six sneaks within the Tremendous Bowl loss.
The pushing began in earnest in Week 1 of 2022, with Goedert motioning and pushing. Then Philadelphia tried out completely different variations of pushers all through the 2022 season — lining up a operating again behind Hurts, after which debuting the now-familiar formation with a participant on every of Hurts’ hips (much like what Snyder’s Kansas State groups did) in opposition to Dallas in Week 6.
The one which wasn’t
The Eagles pull off the faux tush push 😂
🎥: @NFL pic.twitter.com/UVc7RDqWug
— The Sporting Information (@sportingnews) October 29, 2023
The Eagles pulled off a faux sneak greater than as soon as, and that is what made the tush push a factor of game-planning magnificence. When defenses dedicated to stopping it (look intently and you may see defensive sort out Jonathan Allen throw himself sideways, virtually mendacity on the bottom to cease the offensive line), it left them susceptible on the surface for a play like this.
The one which made the Payments actually mad
Eagles middle Jason Kelce on @SportsRadioWIP stated that the Payments Jordan Phillips ought to be fined for this play on Sunday. Phillips jumped offside as Philly was set as much as run QB sneak.Kelce “He purposely tried to harm Cam Jurgens” Audio in WIP clip belowThoughts #BillsMafia ?… https://t.co/KZfTr3XL3q pic.twitter.com/JmYIGPG6Pv
— Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) November 29, 2023
One other stunning factor about this play is that even when it does not work, it nonetheless works. All of the Eagles needed to do right here was line up in a formation that resembled the tush push and be in a short-yardage scenario, and Payments defensive sort out Jordan Phillips bought scorching to cease it, left early and plowed by Eagles offensive lineman Cam Jurgens. The officers known as an encroachment penalty for five yards, and Kelce argued that it ought to have been a private foul for 15 yards.
On the mix this February, Niners basic supervisor John Lynch, who’s a member of the league’s competitors committee, talked about how he was afraid that this play would result in defensive gamers performing out. “I believe again to my enjoying days, and I believe that may have made me do issues that I would not be pleased with as a result of if they are not going to cease it, I will cease it,” Lynch informed reporters. “That form of trickles into gamers which have a sure mentality [in their] head. I am simply being truthful there. I hope that is by no means the case.”
The one the place the Chiefs faked a area purpose
The Chiefs’ faux area purpose *actually* faked out the Amazon Prime Video broadcast. #TNF 📺🏈😵💫 pic.twitter.com/pWcTv5cDQ0
— Terrible Asserting (@awfulannouncing) October 13, 2023
Kansas Metropolis has by no means run a tush push with Patrick Mahomes, nevertheless it did run one of many coolest variations of the play on particular groups, which is shocking as a result of ever since having Mahomes and a profitable offense, the Chiefs’ particular groups unit has been fairly conservative. The one time Kansas Metropolis has ever tried this play was out of a area purpose formation whereas up 3-0 within the second quarter in opposition to Denver in 2023.
Simply earlier than the snap, holder Tommy Townsend ran as much as the road of scrimmage, and on the similar time, tight finish Noah Grey and offensive lineman Wanya Morris ran in from the wings. Grey took the direct snap, and Morris and Townsend pushed him ahead.
This seemed superior, however the Chiefs ran this on fourth-and-2, and Grey gained simply 1 yard.
The one the place the Jaguars countered
Nov. 3, 2024Jaguars present that protection can push too. pic.twitter.com/L85FTQAM4Y
— Kalyn Kahler (@kalynkahler) Might 14, 2025
The 2024 Jaguars weren’t a very good workforce, however they will cling a banner for stopping two Eagles tush pushes on 2-point conversion makes an attempt in Week 9 of final season — and the best way they did it was one thing not many different defenses have tried to do. The argument for the tush push’s place within the NFL is that soccer is all about innovation as a necessity. Offenses put stress on defenses to search out methods to counter their creativity, and that is how the sport grows and stays attention-grabbing. The Jaguars discovered a approach to push again on the Eagles — actually — by lining up two linebackers shut behind their defensive linemen, notably the one lined up throughout from the Eagles middle. Stopping the Eagles’ middle from getting the low drive is the important thing to stopping the play, and the Jaguars dedicated their linebackers to backing up their defensive linemen as a substitute of attempting to time the snap and leap excessive to cease Hurts’ momentum, as most different groups did.
On the league assembly in March, a number of head coaches stated the tush push should not be allowed as a result of pushing defensive linemen is not allowed on area purpose block makes an attempt. What lots of these coaches did not point out is that pushing defensive gamers on a daily offensive down is authorized and a technique they may have employed.
“The protection can push as effectively,” ex-Eagles OC Moore stated in March. “Because it’s written proper now, it isn’t just like the protection cannot push as effectively.”
The Jaguars confirmed on tape what can occur whenever you counter the Eagles with their very own assault. However Falcons coach Raheem Morris stated on the March assembly that he wasn’t snug doing that along with his defensive gamers.
“I do not just like the play due to what I’ve to do to attempt to cease it and for me to have somebody push a human into one other human, doubtlessly what may occur, I do not like. … I do not wish to do what I believe is important to attempt to cease it.”
The one which was a six-in-a-row ‘s— present’
“Encroachment, protection No. 93. Washington has been suggested that sooner or later the referee can award a rating if any such habits occurs once more. For now, it is a replay of second down.” – Shawn Hochuli, after Fox’s Mike Pereira alluded to this as effectively.pic.twitter.com/jZcDABVdMv
— Terrible Asserting (@awfulannouncing) January 26, 2025
The Eagles like to run this play back-to-back, as a result of they’re not often stopped for no achieve, so in the event that they want a yard on third down and get a half a yard, that units them up for a constructive fourth-down alternative to run it again.
Philadelphia ran a push sneak 3 times in a row in opposition to Arizona in 2022, illustrating that dedication. Then, this previous January, they repeated the play six consecutive occasions after 4 Commanders defensive penalties nullified second down, took a minute off the sport clock, and in the end prompted referee Shawn Hochuli to subject an official warning to Washington that if it dedicated one other “palpably unfair act,” he would award the Eagles a landing.
“I used to be conscious that which will occur if there is a continued penalty again and again,” Washington coach Dan Quinn stated on the March league assembly. “However we’re not going to concede to something. That is not how we get down. In order that meant, we will go combat for it to the final second of the final play of the final second.”
Once more, the fantastic thing about this play is that, simply by threatening it, the Eagles already received. And for the Commanders, taking the results of half the gap to the purpose to dwell one other play was higher than surrendering a landing, which they in the end did on the sixth tush push try, after Hochuli’s warning.
It was a sequence that made the tush push an actual goal for elimination due to that “tempo of play” logic, that this is not a watchable tv product. One supply acquainted with the competitors committee’s pondering informed ESPN the sequence was a “s— present” that created actual momentum for banning the play.
The one the place Josh Allen cherished the left guard
KC sniffed out Josh Allen to the left guard. pic.twitter.com/xiVTh7Jhik
— Kalyn Kahler (@kalynkahler) Might 14, 2025
What the Chiefs noticed on movie: pic.twitter.com/dgQPHSkgVU
— Kalyn Kahler (@kalynkahler) Might 14, 2025
When Hurts runs this play, he often goes straight ahead, following his middle instantly on the snap, and the Eagles’ offensive line will get such a push — or, as they known as it, a “knockback” — that Hurts can simply trip the wave ahead. However the quarterback who has run the second-most tush pushes does it slightly otherwise, and it will in the end value him on this case. As a substitute of shifting immediately ahead on the snap, Payments quarterback Allen took the snap and sometimes waited a break up second earlier than stepping to his left and following the area created by Buffalo’s left guard. Based on TruMedia, Allen has stepped to his left on 42 of 68 push sneak makes an attempt.
Kansas Metropolis sniffed out this tendency forward of the AFC title sport and ready for it.
“I imply, from our defensive aspect, he all the time QB sneaks to our proper,” Chiefs security Nazeeh Johnson informed SiriusXM’s Mad Canine Sports activities Radio. “So each time we see him in QB sneak formation, we all know he is coming to the precise aspect each time. It is one hundred percent, 10-for-10, he will that aspect.”
The Payments transformed solely two of 5 sneak makes an attempt within the sport, together with one which drew an unfavorable and much-debated Buffalo spot on fourth down.
The newest one … however NOT the final one
Tremendous Bowl tush push tuddy has arrived ‼️ #FlyEaglesFly
📺: #SBLIX on FOX📱: Tubi + NFL app pic.twitter.com/PA4G79M9uY
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
The Eagles ran just one tush push of their second Tremendous Bowl look ATP (After Tush Push) as a result of they merely did not want it any greater than that in opposition to the Chiefs. The Eagles not often discovered themselves in late-down, short-yardage conditions, and since they bought off to a fast lead, they may accept area objectives on fourth down.
Chiefs defensive sort out Chris Jones laid himself out horizontally in an all-out effort to cease the play on the purpose line, much like the Commanders’ defensive position approach.
Chris Jones lined up sideways to attempt stopping the tush push 😯 pic.twitter.com/yHhOhxeRlW
— NFL (@NFL) February 18, 2025
Philadelphia’s first landing in Tremendous Bowl LIX almost turned out to be its final tush push. However after Wednesday’s vote, the play lives on. Count on the controversy to endure as effectively.
