Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been involved in the team's successful Tush Push play since 2022.
The Tush Push, also known as the Brotherly Shove, is an American football play popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles. It is a variation of the traditional quarterback sneak, in which the quarterback takes the snap and immediately drives forward while the offensive line is also surging forward. In the Eagles' version, additional players line up behind the quarterback and physically push him forward as the offensive line surges ahead. Since 2022, the Eagles have executed the Tush Push with notable success, making it a key part of their offensive strategy and contributing to their appearances in Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LIX, the latter of which they won. The play has drawn controversy, with some calling for it to be banned. Critics argue that it poses safety risks and creates an unfair advantage, while supporters contend that it is legal, available to all teams, and should not be banned simply due to the team's effectiveness.
The tush push is a variation of the quarterback sneak, which is a basic play in American football. It involves the quarterback lining up directly behind the center, taking the snap, and immediately diving or pushing forward behind the offensive line. The play is designed to gain a short distance, usually to convert a 3rd or 4th down and inches, or to score near the goal line.[1] In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles began running a modified version of the quarterback sneak, which involves two players pushing quarterback Jalen Hurts across the line of scrimmage as the offensive line simultaneously drives forward.[2] The controversial play became widely known as the "Tush Push",[3] as well as the "Brotherly Shove", which is a play on the "City of Brotherly Love" nickname for Philadelphia.[4]
The pushing from behind has often been compared to several different rugby union forms of gameplay, such as the scrum, driving maul,[5] and pick-and-go.[2] During the 2022 season, the Eagles converted 29 of 32 attempts for a first down – a success rate of over 90%.[6] Part of the Eagles' success in running the play is attributed to the team's personnel. The 2024 Philadelphia Eagles had one of the largest offensive lines in the league, including right tackle Lane Johnson (6-6, 325 pounds), left tackle Jordan Mailata (6-8, 365 pounds), and left guard Landon Dickerson (6-6, 332 pounds).[7] When the Eagles ran the play, Hurts, a former powerlifter who could squat 600 pounds, was designed to run behind the combined 697 pounds of Mailata and Dickerson, along with center Cam Jurgens, who weighed 303 pounds.[8] Hurts and the Eagles scored the first touchdowns of Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LIX using the play.[9][10]
Between 2022 and 2024, the Eagles and the Buffalo Bills executed the play 163 times. Both teams either scored a touchdown or achieved a first down 87% of the time, while the rest of the NFL has only been successful on 71% of attempts.[10] Other NFL teams, as well as college football teams, have also adapted some form of the Tush Push.[11]
Origins
The Tush Push play origins trace back decades to the innovative coaching of Bill Snyder at Kansas State University.[12][13] Starting around 2005, Snyder began experimenting with assisted quarterback sneaks, recognizing the potential for maximizing short-yardage efficiency. His approach was characteristically methodical - identifying a strategic advantage and refining it through systematic implementation.[12] From 2015 to 2018, Snyder's offensive coordinator Dana Dimel played a crucial role in implementing and developing the early version of the play.[14]
Criticism and attempts to ban the play
Some NFL teams have lobbied to ban the Tush Push outright, citing safety concerns and the "assisting the runner" penalty. The tactic takes advantage of an NFL rule that was modified in 2005 to allow players to assist the ball carrier in the form of pushing, which was previously banned, although "pulling" and "carrying" are still prohibited.[15] In 2022, NFL's officiating department issued a clarification regarding whether the play should be penalized: "This is not a foul, because what he is doing is pushing the runner. Players are allowed to push, but they are not allowed to encircle and pull to assist the runner."[2] In 2023, NFL investigated the potential injury risk of the play and concluded "nothing notable" was found, although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated there were other aspects about the play to consider.[16]
In February 2025, the Green Bay Packers submitted a proposal to the NFL’s competition committee to ban the Tush Push and the play will be a topic of discussion at the Annual League Meeting in March.[17] Despite his team's usage of the play, Bills' head coach Sean McDermott would state that it is "potentially contrary to the health and safety of the players".[10] Jason Kelce, an Eagles center who retired after the 2023 season, acknowledged it is a "grueling play" but added that football is "a sport that comes down to physicality".[18] Other teams have opposed banning, as some have begun experimenting with the play themselves.[19][20] On February 26, NFL executive Troy Vincent said no injury was suffered on a Tush Push play in 2024, per the league's internal data.[21] On April 1, 2025, the league declined to hold a formal vote on the Packers' proposed ban after an informal poll showed the teams to be evenly divided on the issue, short of the 3/4 majority that would have been needed to implement the ban.[22]
A second attempt to ban the play was submitted, also by the Packers on May 21, 2025, during the league's annual spring meetings. It failed by two votes, receiving 22 votes instead of the 24 needed to ban the play. Not including the Eagles, nine teams that voted against the banning the play were: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans.[23]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
