One of the most famous plays in the NFL has a unique name. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback sneak play where Jalen Hurts tries to sneak into the end zone with some help from his teammates is called the “tush push.”
The name is quite appropriate — and highly successful.
The Washington Commanders face the Eagles on Sunday, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio respects Philadelphia but not the “tush push.”
“Well, it’s not being officiated as illegal, so we just have to prepare for it,” Del Rio said when asked for his thoughts on the play.
“I would personally like to see it eliminated, not just because they run it better than anybody, although they do run it better than anybody. But I don’t think that’s a football play. I think it’s a nice rugby play, and it’s not what we’re looking for in football. But until it’s outlawed, we’ll prepare for it and get ready to do our best to stop it.”
This is a really thoughtful response from Del Rio. And he’s far from the only one who feels this way; he’s just honest enough to express it.
Del Rio complimented the Eagles, Hurts and their offensive line. He knows how good they are. But, like many around the NFL, isn’t a big fan of the “tush push.”
If Philadelphia gets down inside the two-yard line, you can expect to see this play. It’s proven to be unstoppable because the Eagles’ offensive line is arguably the best in the NFL. Additionally, Hurts has the size and fearlessness to make it work.
As expected, Del Rio’s comments didn’t sit too well with Philadelphia fans, who criticize, well, everything.