Steelers Lean on the Tush Push - After Trying to Push It Out of the League
It wasn’t long ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers were among the voices calling for the NFL to step in and do something about the Eagles’ now-famous “Tush Push.” The play - a short-yardage quarterback sneak powered by a wall of linemen and a couple of teammates giving a legal shove from behind - became a staple of Philadelphia’s offense during their Super Bowl run. It was so effective, so automatic, that some around the league didn’t just grumble - they wanted it gone.
Fast forward to this week’s Monday Night Football, and wouldn’t you know it: the Steelers, fresh off a big win, lined up and ran the very play they once wanted out of the game. Not once.
Not twice. But multiple times - including on a touchdown scored by tight end Connor Heyward.
Let’s be clear: the play is still legal. It’s still effective.
And it’s still the same concept that had teams like Pittsburgh lobbying for change just months ago. That’s where the frustration - especially for Eagles fans - starts to bubble over.
Because when a team that tried to get the play banned suddenly turns around and uses it to punch in a score, it’s hard not to call that what it is: hypocritical.
From “Unfair” to “Unstoppable” - Now It’s Just Part of the Game
The calls to ban the Tush Push were never really about fairness. They were about frustration.
Philadelphia ran it better than anyone - mostly because they had the right personnel, the right quarterback in Jalen Hurts, and a powerhouse offensive line that could move mountains in short-yardage situations. The Eagles weren’t cheating.
They were just better at something other teams couldn’t stop.
Now, with Philly’s offense not quite firing on all cylinders this season, and the Tush Push not being quite as automatic, the noise around banning it has died down. But that doesn’t mean folks forgot who wanted it gone.
And when one of those teams turns around and uses it? That’s going to draw some attention - and rightfully so.
Rodgers Watches, Steelers Push Forward
There’s another layer of irony here. While the Eagles ran the Tush Push with their quarterback in the thick of it, Pittsburgh is protecting their aging signal-caller.
Aaron Rodgers, who’s not exactly built for those pile-driving scrums at this stage of his career, is staying out of harm’s way. He’s often a bystander while the Steelers lean on other players - like Heyward - to muscle through the trenches.
That’s smart football. But it also underscores the point: this play isn’t about trickery or loopholes.
It’s about execution, strength, and timing. And now that Pittsburgh has figured out how to make it work for them, they’re not above using it - even if they once wanted it erased from the rulebook.
Steelers Sit Atop the AFC North - Thanks in Part to the Play They Once Opposed
With the win, the Steelers now sit in the driver’s seat of the AFC North and are in strong playoff position. And yes, part of the credit goes to a play they once tried to take out of the game. That’s not just ironic - it’s a full-circle moment that’s hard to ignore.
If the league revisits the Tush Push debate in the offseason - and that’s far from a guarantee - there will be plenty of tape showing just how many teams, including former critics, have embraced it. And if another ban attempt surfaces, expect the Eagles and their fans to be first in line to remind everyone who did it first - and who did it best.
For now, the Tush Push remains part of the game. And whether you love it, hate it, or just wish your team could run it as well as Philly once did, it’s clear the play isn’t going anywhere - especially not when teams like Pittsburgh are suddenly leaning on it to get into the end zone.