Eagles' Tush Push: A Comeback in the Making?
In the heart of Indianapolis, the NFL Scouting Combine buzzed with anticipation as teams evaluated future stars. Yet, one of the hot topics was the Eagles' signature Tush Push play.
Despite some chatter, it looks like there won't be any moves to ban it this year. So, the Eagles are left with the task of revitalizing a play that once dominated the field.
Last season, the Eagles saw a dip in their success rate with the Tush Push, dropping from over 81% in 2024 to around 63% in 2025. What happened?
Well, a couple of factors played a part. The offensive line, a crucial component of the play, struggled with injuries, impacting the team's overall performance.
Plus, opposing teams started figuring out how to counter it. Instead of attacking head-on, defenses began collapsing the edges and targeting the pushers, even going for the ball strip.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged the challenges, stating, "Teams did a good job stopping it. We need to either regain our dominance with it or explore new strategies for third downs and red zone plays." The offseason provides a perfect opportunity for the Eagles to tweak and innovate their approach.
Sirianni emphasized the importance of keeping defenses guessing. "You want to plant seeds of doubt within the defense," he explained. The Eagles have always prided themselves on perfecting the Tush Push and adding creative wrinkles to keep it unpredictable.
Interestingly, the Eagles' new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, comes from the Packers, the very team that proposed banning the play last offseason. The proposal was initially framed around player safety, though NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent noted no injuries from the play in 2024.
During this year's combine, Broncos head coach and competition committee member Sean Payton weighed in on the debate. "If the push sneak ever goes away, it won't be due to health and safety concerns," Payton remarked.
"It'll be more about aesthetics. We discussed it last year, and frankly, there are riskier plays out there, like kick returns."
As the Eagles head into the new season, the Tush Push remains a potential powerhouse for their offense. With some adjustments and fresh strategies, they could very well reclaim their dominance and keep defenses on their toes.