NFL fans are battling another intriguing narrative: the "Tush Push," also known as the "brotherly shove.” Both, the supporters and opponents have been arguing over the pros and cons of the tactic.
Philadelphia Eagles, who finished second in the previous season's Super Bowl and have a strong chance of making it back to the big game in the ongoing season (how? We will discuss it below), have been vocal about their admiration for the tactic as it almost guided the NFL side to glory.
The controversial tactic in the NFL is, however, going to stay for at least one more season, and NFL official Troy Vincent declared that the contentious play will not be prohibited by the league. This is great news for the Eagles and their supporters. Before we discuss more, let us have a look at what Tush Push actually is.
Jason Kelce in the booth for the @Eagles tush push
📺: #ATLvsPHI on ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/SZ9a4ScgKY— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2024
In the "tush push" play in American football, players press the quarterback from behind as soon as he receives the ball. This move raised concerns and questions about whether it gave teams an unfair advantage. However, those questions were disproved by the fact that only some teams; the Eagles, seemed to be adept at it.
The team has a dynamic offense that can gain enormous amounts of yards and score points in abundance. However, since they started implementing the "tush push" on a regular basis, it has become their signature play. The fans of the Eagles go into a frenzy when they witness the now-famous play.
Additionally, quarterback Jalen Hurts typically gains the required yards following the play and it has become his sneak play. Now let us talk about if it should be banned permanently.
Should it be banned permanently?
The majority of the fans (maybe excluding the Eagles fans), players, and some from the NFL fraternity believe that the tactic shouldn't be in action. Additionally, it has favored the Philadelphia Eagles, and they get a lot of benefits from it. That is a solid reason for the opposition teams not to favor it.
Chargers tried the tush push and FAILED.
Oh man.
pic.twitter.com/saDDAMCUlQ— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 1, 2023
One of the first references to the term "tush push" appeared in a January 2023 piece by The Athletic, which covered how the Eagles successfully employed the move. The success of the tush push went a long way towards helping the side reach the Super Bowl in February 2023.
The play was executed 46 times by the Eagles in 2022, yielding a 92 percent success rate (i.e., the play resulted in a first down or a score). When played well, it kept drives alive or ended them completely with a score, preventing them from giving the ball back to their opponent by failing to convert on fourth down or punting.
Not sure about the ‘ban’ word but it can have some chances that don't benefit a particular team. The Eagles are so good at the play that to ban it would look like penalizing them. The idea that athletes can push a teammate for additional yardage has not won over everyone.
What if we let the defenses figure out how to prevent the Eagles from (almost) winning every time they try the Tush Push? That would increase the entertainment value. Let the opposing teams' offenses attempt to execute their plays in the same manner as the Eagles can.
To sneak for the minimal amount of yardage required, a quarterback usually has to follow his blockers rather than being shoved from behind. It also has concerns over its safety nevertheless, football is always dangerous and risky. You have to practice it and master it.
Though no evidence emerged to suggest the tush push was more likely to cause injuries than other plays, health concerns were previously voiced when discussing the move. However, there are some issues with the play that the health and safety commission is worried about, especially with regard to its defence.
According to NFL official Troy Vincent, one tactic that is raising some concerns is when a player on the defensive tries to stop the ball carrier by jumping over the top of the pile. As per Vincent, the committee wishes to spare defending players from any "unnecessary risk," but at this point, the worry is more of a "what if.”
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Philadelphia Eagles Instagram
*The views expressed are personal to the author and do not reflect the platform's opinion of the same.
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