The NFL’s “Tush Push” has become as polarizing as a late-game holding call. For the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s their go-to cheat code—a play as reliable as a Randy Johnson fastball. But behind the scenes, a storm brews. Picture a chess match where one player rewrites the rules mid-game. Now, whispers of rebellion swirl in league offices. Roger Goodell’s grip on the game faces one of its fiercest tests yet.
And Mike Florio just tossed a Molotov cocktail into the debate. The Tush Push isn’t just a play; it’s a cultural flashpoint. Like the “Philly Special” before it, the Eagles turned a simple quarterback sneak into high-octane theater. But this isn’t about confetti or parades. It’s about survival. The NFL thrives on innovation, but what happens when that innovation bends tradition?
The answer might lie in a chaotic NFC Championship sequence that left even referees scratching their heads.
Florio’s Bombshell: Goodell’s Push Against the Tush Push
On Tuesday, NBC’s Mike Florio accused Goodell of targeting the Tush Push after the Eagles’ January 2025 NFC title game win over Washington.
"Roger Goodell was sitting in his basement with his big-a-- bowl of M&Ms, and he watched that game, and he said... ‘We can’t have this anymore. We can't allow this anymore,’” Florio joked.
The Commanders’ repeated offsides penalties—a desperate attempt to stop the play—nearly triggered the NFL’s “palpably unfair act” rule, a nuclear option never before used. For the Eagles, the implications are seismic. The Tush Push fueled their 55-23 rout of Washington, with Jalen Hurts bulldozing for three touchdowns. Philadelphia’s 87% success rate on the play since 2022 isn’t just dominance.
It’s inevitability. “Mental warfare,” Eagles lineman Jordan Mailata called Washington’s antics. But Florio argues the league is now weaponizing that chaos to kill the play.
The Tush Push: Philadelphia’s Secret Weapon or Football's Public Enemy?
The Commanders’ meltdown was a tipping point. Down 34-23, Washington’s defense crumbled under the Tush Push’s psychological weight. “They had a lot of damn emotion, and they were talking a lot,” center Cam Jurgens said postgame. Referee Shawn Hochuli’s threat to award an automatic touchdown exposed the play’s loophole: It’s too effective.
Critics like Packers president Mark Murphy call it “bad for the game,” likening it to replacing Bart Starr’s Ice Bowl sneak with a carnival trick. While Buffalo’s Sean McDermott—whose Bills rank second in Tush Push usage—admits, “There’s no skill involved.” Even as his team rode the play to AFC contention, he lobbied the Competition Committee to ban it, citing “injury risks” and “optics.”
Eagles’ Dilemma: Adapt or Die
Philadelphia’s identity hinges on the Tush Push. Without it, Hurts’ red-zone dominance shrinks. Saquon Barkley’s historic 2024 season—2,000+ rushing yards—was amplified by defenses fixating on stopping the sneak. “Hey, this is a big game. Can't hold anything back,” tackle Lane Johnson said after the Commanders’ loss. But if the NFL outlaws the play, the Eagles’ blueprint crumbles.
Philly converted 70.9% of fourth downs in 2024, third-best leaguewide. The Tush Push isn’t just a play—it’s a psychological edge. “A lot of trash talk on their side,” Mailata recalled. “Jalen did a tremendous job there to keep us cool, calm, collected.” If banned, Philly must reinvent its short-yardage DNA.
Read more: Tush Push drama peaks as Commanders defender drops scathing one-word message
A Clash of Legacy and Innovation
The Tush Push debate mirrors America’s oldest sports conflict: tradition vs. progress. For every purist screaming, “That’s not football!”, there’s an innovator asking, “Why not?” The Eagles built an empire on the play, but Goodell’s looming decision could erase it overnight. As novelist Ursula K. Le Guin once wrote, “The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty.”
Will the NFL let the Eagles keep their crown jewel, or will the Tush Push join the Annexation of Puerto Rico in football’s trivia bin? The answer hinges on 24 owners’ votes—and whether they fear progress more than Philly’s wrath.