Philadelphia Eagles Tush Push On Life Support But Eagles Promise To Resuscitate It

The Tush Push is on life support. The signature play of the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl run the past few years is no longer unique, or surprising or unstoppable.

Take Saturday evening's game between the Eagles and Washington Commanders as a snapshot of the point, and we see that the Eagles failed to convert on the play multiple times and were even flagged for a false start from the Washington 1-yard -line on a second-and-goal situation.

Diminishing Returns For Eagles

And right on cue, the FOX broadcast lit up the Tush Push's diminishing returns on national television. 

"We're at a good place," quarterback Jalen Hurts said when asked about the failures. "I think we're at a good place."

And then Hurts rubbed his nose as it grew to measure two feet long – just like Pinocchio.

The truth? We turn to coach Nick Sirianni, who first used the Tush Push in 2021 and then in 2022 turned it into a staple of the Philadelphia offense in ways the Philly Special of years ago could never be.

"Yeah, teams adjust, we got to continue to adjust," Sirianni said. "I think credit to them, they did a really good job of stopping us there and then also, they got us to jump offsides and put us back.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 09: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scores touchdown on a tush push during Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9, 2025 at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sirianni: Have To Clean Up Tush Push

"What I was really encouraged by, obviously, you don't want penalties, especially pre-snap penalties. And we have to clean those up, and we have to get this play working the way it's been in the past, which we will work our butts off to do so.

"But we really were able to overcome."

So that's how far the play has fallen. It has become, in some regards, a play the Eagles have to "overcome."

It was once a play that forced opponents to invest valuable practice time to prepare for. Now it is a play the Eagles have to use valuable practice time to get "working the way it's been in the past."

That is a mighty fall, folks.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 03: Philadelphia Eagles  attempt a tush push during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 3, 2024 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

NFL Implications For Play

This all, of course, has league implications.

We know the NFL tried to ban the play at the NFL annual meeting last April.

When that didn't work, the NFL tried to a second time to ban the play, although it is clearly a driver of drama and attention.

And throughout those attempts to shelve the play, teams claimed it is not right to ban a play simply because one team does it better than everyone else. They asked if that was fair?

So does the fact the Eagles aren't doing it that well now mean the NFL will get off Philadelphia's jock about the Tush Push? Or will the league be emboldened to try harder?

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 03: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scores on a tush push during the game between the San Fransisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles on December 3, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Officials Harder On Eagles Play

Perhaps, the league might think, the Eagles will decide the decreasing juice is no longer worth the squeeze.

"Well, I’m sure this play might not even be around next year to be honest, just the way they’re officiating it, to be fair," offensive tackle Jordan Mailata told reporters.

"I think they’re just officiating it a little bit harder. If this is the last year that we get to run it, then we’re just going to have to run it until we can’t run it anymore."