NFL: Officiate tush push ‘tight’ after missed call

Authors: Tim McManus

Publisher:

ESPN

Published: 9/19/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good morning bxyfighting@gmail.com, I'm Tom Banks, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Monday, September 22th.

Mask

I'm Mask, we are here to discuss the NFL's latest headache: the 'tush push' and the league's sudden demand to officiate it 'tight'.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. The league office sent out a training tape, essentially admitting they missed a call. During the Eagles-Chiefs game, an Eagles guard clearly moved early on a tush push play, but no flag was thrown. It’s really stirring the pot.

Mask

Stirring the pot? Tom, it's a tempest in a teapot. The NFL's VP of Officiating, Ramon George, called it 'a very hard play to officiate.' That's an admission of incompetence. If a play is too hard for them to officiate, maybe the problem isn't the play.

Tom Banks

Well, his point was that the offensive team has to be 'perfect in every aspect.' He's putting the onus on the Eagles to be flawless, which seems fair. They want it called 'black and white,' with no gray areas on a play that's already so controversial.

Mask

Perfection is a myth. They're just trying to legislate a successful strategy out of existence because other teams can't replicate it. Andy Reid and Tom Brady complained about it, and suddenly, it's a point of emphasis. It's reactionary, not proactive leadership.

Tom Banks

To be fair, this play has a long history. It’s not just an Eagles invention. Some trace it back to coaching innovations in the mid-2000s. It really became possible after 2005, when the NFL removed the rule that prohibited pushing a ball carrier forward.

Mask

Exactly. It's a legal play born from a rule change. The Eagles, under Nick Sirianni, simply perfected it. They have a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who is built for it, and they've drilled it to a 96.6% success rate on fourth-and-1 since 2022. That's not cheating; that's mastery.

Tom Banks

You have to admire the efficiency. They even brought in a Scottish rugby coach to refine the technique. But that near-perfect success rate is exactly why other teams are crying foul. The Green Bay Packers have tried to get it banned twice, most recently in May.

Mask

And they failed, falling two votes short. Why? Because deep down, the owners know you can't ban innovation. Banning the tush push is like when they tried to ban the forward pass because defenses in 1906 couldn't figure out how to stop it. It’s absurd.

Tom Banks

That’s a bold comparison, but I see your point. The play, also called the 'Brotherly Shove,' has become their signature. They scored the first touchdown in two recent Super Bowls using it. It's become a legitimate, powerful weapon in their arsenal.

Tom Banks

The core conflict seems to be about fairness and the 'spirit of the game.' Opponents say it's not aesthetically pleasing, that it’s just a rugby scrum. They argue it's an unstoppable play that removes skill and introduces a higher injury risk.

Mask

That's complete nonsense, and it's based on emotion, not facts. First, the data shows no significant increase in injuries on this play. NFL executive Troy Vincent confirmed that. Second, it's not unstoppable. The Eagles' success rate has dropped from 90% to 82%.

Tom Banks

So you believe the backlash is purely because it's the Eagles' signature play? One writer put it bluntly: 'If it worked for Dallas or KC... NOBODY WOULD COMPLAIN.' There's a strong feeling that the league is targeting a successful team's core strategy.

Mask

Of course, it is. And the arguments are based on myths. Pushing the runner has been legal for nearly two decades. Defenses are even allowed to push their own linemen to counter it, but they don't. Why? Because it's strategically risky. This isn't a loophole; it's a choice.

Tom Banks

This new officiating focus will certainly have an impact. We'll see more flags, which could neuter the play without an outright ban. It also puts the officials in a tough spot and could undermine their credibility if calls seem inconsistent from game to game.

Mask

It forces the Eagles to be more precise, a challenge I'm sure they'll relish. What's truly bizarre is seeing teams like the Buffalo Bills, who were the second-most effective team using the play, reportedly voting to ban it. It's strategic self-sabotage.

Tom Banks

That is strange. It shows how divisive this play is. It’s not just about winning a down; it's about the very identity of football. Is it a game of elegant, open-field plays, or is brute-force efficiency just as valid? It’s a fascinating question.

Tom Banks

Looking ahead, this 'point of emphasis' from the league is likely a temporary fix. I imagine the Competition Committee will have this on the agenda again next offseason. The debate is far from over for the 'Brotherly Shove.'

Mask

The future is innovation. If they regulate the tush push into oblivion, smart teams will just invent the next unstoppable short-yardage play. You can't stop progress. The focus should always be on coaching and execution, not on adding more rules.

Tom Banks

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.

Mask

See you tomorrow.

## NFL Mandates Stricter Officiating for "Tush Push" Play **News Title:** NFL: Officiate tush push ‘tight’ after missed call **Report Provider:** ESPN **Author:** Tim McManus **Date:** September 18, 2025 (with context from a recent game and past events) **URL:** https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46307930/nfl-officials-keep-eye-false-starts-tush-push ### Executive Summary The National Football League (NFL) has issued a directive to its officials to officiate the controversial "tush push" play with increased scrutiny, specifically focusing on potential false starts. This instruction follows a recent game where the Philadelphia Eagles employed the play against the Kansas City Chiefs, with the league acknowledging that the Eagles should have been flagged for at least one false start. While a proposal to ban the play failed this offseason, the NFL is now emphasizing a "tight" officiating approach to ensure fairness and adherence to the rules. ### Key Findings and Conclusions * **Stricter Officiating Mandated:** The NFL has instructed officials to call the "tush push" play "tight" moving forward, with a particular emphasis on identifying and flagging false starts and early movement by offensive players. * **Missed Call on Eagles Play:** The league confirmed that the Philadelphia Eagles should have been penalized for at least one false start during their use of the tush push against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 14, 2025. * **Eagles' Success with the Play:** The Eagles have demonstrated significant success with the tush push, converting it **96.6%** of the time in fourth-and-1 scenarios since 2022. In the recent game against the Chiefs, they ran the play **six times**, achieving **four first downs** and scoring **one touchdown**. * **Reactions to the Play:** Eagles center Cam Jurgens expressed frustration with the scrutiny, stating, "I've heard a million different takes on this thing, and it's driving me nuts." Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Fox analyst Tom Brady also suggested that the Eagles might have had early movement on some of their tush push plays. * **Failed Ban Proposal:** A proposal to ban the tush push during the offseason failed by a narrow margin of **two votes**. The final vote count was **22-10** against the proposal, which was submitted by the Green Bay Packers. ### Key Statistics and Metrics * **Eagles' Tush Push Conversion Rate (4th & 1, since 2022):** 96.6% * **Tush Push Plays in Recent Game (Eagles vs. Chiefs):** 6 * **First Downs Gained from Tush Push in Recent Game:** 4 * **Touchdowns Scored from Tush Push in Recent Game:** 1 * **Tush Push Ban Proposal Vote:** 22-10 (failed to pass) ### Important Recommendations The NFL has recommended the following for officials regarding the "tush push" play: * **Officiate "tight":** Pay meticulous attention to every aspect of the play, ensuring the offensive team executes perfectly. * **Focus on False Starts:** Actively look for and flag any movement by offensive players before the snap. * **Be "black and white":** Apply the rules clearly and consistently in short-yardage situations, especially when teams are in bunch formations and there is potential for early movement. ### Significant Trends or Changes The primary trend is the NFL's shift towards more stringent enforcement of rules surrounding the "tush push." This indicates a proactive measure to address concerns about the play's potential for unfair advantages and its perceived negative impact on the aesthetic quality of the game. ### Notable Risks or Concerns * **Player Frustration:** Increased scrutiny and potential inconsistencies in officiating could lead to frustration among players, as exemplified by Eagles center Cam Jurgens. * **Impact on Eagles' Offense:** The Eagles' highly effective tush push strategy may be significantly affected by the new officiating emphasis, potentially requiring adjustments to their offensive game plan. * **Officiating Difficulty:** The league itself acknowledges that the "tush push" is a "very hard play to officiate," suggesting that achieving consistent and accurate calls will remain a challenge. ### Material Financial Data No material financial data is present in this news report. ### Quotes * **Peter Schrager:** "It's not how we want to watch football." (Describing the tush push as not aesthetically pleasing.) * **Ramon George (NFL vice president of officiating training and development):** "Anytime we have this situation we're in short yardage, we know we want to make sure that we officiate these plays -- the offensive team has to be perfect in every aspect. We want to officiate it tight. We want to be black and white and be as tight as we can be when we get into this situation where teams are in the bunch position and we have to officiate them being onsides, movement early." * **Andy Reid (Chiefs coach):** "[The Eagles] might have had a couple [QB sneak plays] that they got off a little early on." * **Cam Jurgens (Eagles center):** "I've heard a million different takes on this thing, and it's driving me nuts. People saying I'm lining up offsides. I'm holding the ball. I can be on the ball. That doesn't make any sense to me."

Read original at ESPN →

Schrager on the tush push: 'It's not how we want to watch football' (1:11)Peter Schrager says the tush push is not aesthetically pleasing and it's not want fans want to see. (1:11)Tim McManusSep 18, 2025, 09:17 PM ETCloseTim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after covering the Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine's Birds 24/7, a site he helped create, since 2010.

The NFL said the Philadelphia Eagles should have been flagged for at least one false start when they used the tush push against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and instructed officials this week to call the controversial play "tight" going forward.The message from the league, which was first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by ESPN, came in its training tape to officials, which was distributed to all 32 teams Wednesday.

The NFL showed the Eagles running the QB sneak on third-and-short late in the fourth quarter for a first down in an eventual 20-17 win in Kansas City."Anytime we have this situation we're in short yardage, we know we want to make sure that we officiate these plays -- the offensive team has to be perfect in every aspect," NFL vice president of officiating training and development Ramon George said, according to the Post.

"We want to officiate it tight. We want to be black and white and be as tight as we can be when we get into this situation where teams are in the bunch position and we have to officiate them being onsides, movement early."Prior to the snap, looks like we have movement by the right guard. We also have movement coming across from the defensive side.

This is a very hard play to officiate. I get it."Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game that the Eagles "might have had a couple [QB sneak plays] that they got off a little early on," putting further scrutiny on the play. Fox analyst Tom Brady also suggested during the broadcast that Eagles offensive linemen were getting off the line of scrimmage before the snap but weren't penalized.

Philadelphia ran the tush push six times Sunday, gaining four first downs and scoring a touchdown."I've heard a million different takes on this thing, and it's driving me nuts," Eagles center Cam Jurgens said Wednesday. "People saying I'm lining up offsides. I'm holding the ball. I can be on the ball.

That doesn't make any sense to me."At the end of the day, we're not trying to worry about what other teams or people are saying. We're trying to worry about what we're doing in here. If the league wants to come down and say something and make an emphasis with the rules, we're going to take that into account.

But it's the same thing going forward, playing Eagle football."The play faced banishment this offseason, but the proposal failed by two votes. The final vote was 22-10 on the proposal, which was submitted by the Green Bay Packers, at the NFL's annual meeting in Eagan, Minnesota, in May. The proposal needed 24 votes to pass.

The Eagles have converted the play 96.6% of the time in fourth-and-1 scenarios since 2022.