Tush Push: The Philadephia Eagles’ special quarterback sneak is arguably the NFL’s most effective play. So much so, in fact, that some wish the NFL would ban it.

It’s the third quarter in the Monday Night Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Third down for the Eagles, one yard from the end zone. The Eagles’ beefy O-line lines up in front of Jalen Hurts, with tight end Dallas Goedert, wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back D’Andre Swift behind him.

Hurts gets the snap from Jason Kelce and pushes forward, the trio behind him pushing after it. The scrum falls toward the end zone, but Hurts is stopped inches short of a touchdown. Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni doesn’t have to think long: same play again. Snap, Hurts dashes forward backed up, touchdown.

Jalen Hurts QB sneaks TD!

: PHIvsTB on ABC
: Stream on NFLPlus https://t.co/NkpBC1YFYJ pic.twitter.com/wjBcWRIvWr

– NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2023

Already last season, the Eagles took advantage of the “push push”: 41 times Philadelphia used the play, a full 37 times they used it to get a first down or touchdown. And as they did against the Buccaneers, the Eagles often just need to start a second drive to overcome the missing inches.

“I don’t think you can stop it two plays in a row,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said after the game about the Eagles’ quarterback sneak.

Some had wanted the NFL to ban it after last season, but the play remains legal so far. Jalen Hurts doesn’t think much of the discussion, “I don’t worry about it. We’re the only ones that do it that well,” he said in a postgame press conference against the Buccaneers.

Head coach Sirianni doesn’t care much about the criticism either. “I understand some people are complaining about it, but stop it. Stop the play. It’s not as automatic as people think. […] It’s about the guys up front. It’s about Jalen. I think we’d be pretty successful without the push, but we just push sometimes to give them that extra push.”

NFL legend J.J. Watt sees it similarly, “If they weren’t allowed to push from behind, the Eagles would still be just as successful on quarterback sneaks. Yes, it helps, but the push is not the reason for the success. Rather, it’s the O-line and Jalen,” he wrote on X/Twitter.

NFL: No one can do it like the Eagles

Other teams’ attempts to mimic the “push push” often fail. According to “AP News,” in Week 1 the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts tried the move without success.

That’s because none have a total package like the Philadelphia Eagles: the offensive line is one of the strongest in the NFL with Jason Kelce, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Add to that Jalen Hurts, one of the most athletic and powerful quarterbacks in the league.

Whether the NFL will revise the rulebook after the season is still up in the air. For now, that seems to be the only way to stop the Eagles’ “tush push.”