Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has pushed back against the Green Bay Packers’ proposal to ban the tush push.
Sirianni stated on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine, “I’ve seen some of the stuff that it’s an automatic play.” I almost feel insulted because we put in so much effort for that play. The number of things we’ve researched, how to coach that play, the basics… I can’t tell you how many times we practiced the snap.
The play is difficult to practice in a variety of ways, so we practice it. We figured out how to put it into practice. We work hard and our guys are talented at this play. And so it’s insulting to say because we’re good at it, so it’s automatic.”
In short-yardage situations, Philadelphia has successfully used the play behind Jalen Hurts for the past three seasons, including in their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. On Tuesday, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst confirmed that his team had submitted a proposal to prohibit the play, in which Hurts is pushed by teammates to gain the necessary yardage for a first down or touchdown. “We haven’t had very many discussions about it,” Gutekunst said. I’m sure we will attend the owner meetings in the coming weeks. So I know we did, but we haven’t talked about it much. The Eagles beat the Packers in a wildcard playoff game earlier this year on their way to capturing the franchise’s second Super Bowl title.
The NFL Competition Committee will review the proposal and NFL owners could vote on it when they meet next month in Florida. The play had been discussed previously but there was never a formal proposal to eliminate it.
The Buffalo Bills are one of several other teams that have imitated Philadelphia’s use of the play. Pushing Josh Allen in short-yardage situations has worked out for Buffalo, except on a critical fourth down in the AFC championship game against Kansas City when there was also a controversial spot on the play.
“[The Bills] failed at it and ultimately didn’t end up winning the game because of it,” Sirianni said. “Every week I watch every first-and-goal, red zone fail. And sometimes that first-and-goal starts at the [one-yard line], and you see the team not be able to get in because they’re not able to do that. As a result, I believe that our players and the coaching methods of our team possess this ability. 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 Packers have struggled to both stop and convert on the play.
Gutekunst stated, “I know we are not very successful against it.” I’m aware of that. But to be honest, I have not put much thought into it. It has existed for some time. We’ve used it in different fashions with our tight end, so, again, I think there will be a lot of discussions about it. I’ve kind of got to look at some of the information as far as injury rates, and things like that to see. But we’ll see.”
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy called the tush push “bad for the game” in a message posted on the team’s website after the Packers were eliminated by the Eagles in the playoffs.
Murphy wrote, “On plays of a yard or less, it is almost an automatic first down and there is no skill involved.” “I would like to see the league ban pushing or assisting the run,” the author says. On Tuesday, Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris stated that he would not object to the play being banned. Morris stated, “I’ve never been a fan.” I had no idea why it was allowed. One of the guys who votes against it is certain to be me. Bills coach Sean McDermott, who also is a member of the competition committee, on Monday mentioned player safety concerns.
“The way that the techniques that are used with the play, to me, have been potentially contrary to the health and safety of the players,” McDermott said “You have to go back through, in fairness, to the injury data on the play, but I just think the optics of it I’m not in love with.”
Sirianni disagreed with injuries being a concern. He stated, “I think that’s a little made up.” “I can’t remember one injury we had on that play and we ran it more than anybody else.”