Packers Want Eagles’ Secret Weapon BANNED—Nick Sirianni Says No

The Philadelphia Eagles have mastered the art of the “tush push,” a powerful short-yardage play led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, and they’ve used it to great effect, including during their Super Bowl LVII victory. However, the Green Bay Packers have made a bold move to have the play banned, submitting a proposal to the NFL to eliminate it from the game entirely. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is pushing back, fiercely defending the play as a testament to his team’s hard work and skill.

“I’ve seen some of the stuff that it’s an automatic play,” Sirianni remarked at the NFL scouting combine. “I almost feel a little insulted because we work so hard at that play. The amount of things that we’ve looked into, how to coach that play, the fundamentals … I can’t tell you how many times we practice the snap.”

The “tush push” is a modified quarterback sneak where Hurts is assisted by two or three teammates who push him forward, ensuring that he gains the necessary yardage for a first down or touchdown. The Eagles have perfected it, and it’s been a critical part of their offense for the past few seasons, including in their Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Yet, some teams are struggling to stop it, leading to growing frustration—especially from the Packers.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst confirmed the team’s proposal, admitting that there hasn’t been much discussion yet, but that more conversations will take place as the NFL’s owners meetings approach next month in Florida. For Gutekunst, it’s about fairness, and some members of the league are echoing concerns. Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy voiced his displeasure in a post following the Packers’ playoff elimination by the Eagles, stating that the play lacks skill and is almost guaranteed to result in a first down in short-yardage situations.

Several other teams, including the Buffalo Bills, have adopted the tactic, but it hasn’t always worked out as smoothly as the Eagles’ execution. Sirianni pointed out that while the Bills failed on a critical fourth down during the AFC Championship game, the Eagles’ success isn’t simply about the play being “automatic.”

“Every week I watch every first-and-goal, red-zone fail. And sometimes that first-and-goal starts at the 1 and you see the team not be able to get in because they’re not able to do that,” Sirianni said. “The fact that it’s a successful play for the Eagles and you want to take that away, I think it’s a little unfair.”

The play’s effectiveness was highlighted during a game against the Washington Commanders, where their defense committed multiple penalties trying to stop the tush push, signaling just how difficult it can be to halt.

Still, the debate over the play’s safety is another layer to the controversy. Some, like Bills coach Sean McDermott, have raised concerns over the potential injuries caused by the play’s physical nature. Sirianni quickly shot down those concerns, stating, “I can’t remember one injury we had on that play, and we ran it more than anybody else.”

With NFL owners meeting soon to vote on the proposal, the debate over the tush push is far from over. As teams like the Packers and Falcons voice their opposition, Sirianni and the Eagles stand firm in their belief that it’s a skillful, effective play that should remain part of the game. It will be fascinating to see how the league moves forward on this controversial issue.