The Philadelphia Eagles have perfected the quarterback sneak in recent seasons by having players push the QB from behind. Philly’s “Tush Push” play has been nearly impossible to stop, and Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL combine last week that he will use it this season if it’s not banned.
“I’m a little jealous we didn’t come up with the idea,” Payton said on Feb. 28. “It’s just a version of the quarterback sneak, but with a little more to it. Everyone is pushing, and it’s a scrum. Here’s one of the things you learn: You can’t control — if they vote to not allow it, then great. If they vote to leave it alone, then great. We’ll study it.”
The play might be banned by the NFL this spring. If it is, it will be a relief to Payton that Denver’s defense doesn’t have to defend it. If the play is not banned, Payton plans to use it in his own offense.
“When I was asked at Fox about that play, and I said, ‘If that is allowed, all of us would look at more film and put it in ourselves.’ We’d try to do that. Someone the other night in the XFL ran that same scheme and the whole pile went backwards. They didn’t get the right technique and it didn’t look the same as Philadelphia. We’ll see what happens. That’s something I don’t really worry about. If they allow it, then you look at how you can do it. If they don’t allow it, you move on and do something else.”
The NFL will have a league meeting in Arizona from March 26-29. Any potential rule changes for the 2023 season will be voted on by owners during that time. Philly’s signature play will likely be a topic of discussion.
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