Latest news with #ShawnHochuli
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Eagles rival doubles down after previous statements about the Tush Push
'Cheapo'... That's how Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu described the Philadelphia Eagles' tush push. Months after one of the most bizarre and embarrassing sequences of the youngster's career, he was still angry and throwing darts during an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "My personal opinion? I think they should ban it, but I know the argument's going to be about, 'Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don't get us in short yardage,' and whatnot, but it's kind of like a cheapo play... That's pretty much a scrum in rugby." Advertisement Don't take anyone else's word for it. Take a look and listen for yourself. For those who may be unaware, Frankie's theory stems from the fourth quarter of the most recent NFC Championship Game, one where he was penalized on three consecutive snaps during a goal-to-go situation. Philadelphia lined up for the Brotherly Shove. Luvu attempted to guess the snap count. He was wrong... Three times... That led to one of the greatest (and most unexpected) calls in NFL history. Referee Shawn Hochuli finally issued his stark warning. "Washington has been advised that, at some point, the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again." Luvu chilled, Philadelphia scored on the next play, and stretched their lead to 41-23 with just over 12 minutes remaining. Advertisement Four months have passed. It appears that Frankie is still angry. Frankie Luvu doubles down on his complaints of the Eagles' tush push. As we turn the calendar from May to June, much has changed since Philadelphia throttled the Commanders in the most recent NFC Championship Game. The league tried to ban the Eagles' infamous play. The Birds found nine allies to vote with them, and that ensured the tush push is still a legal play for the 2025 NFL season. Roger Goodell sounds salty, stating, "We'll see how it plays out this season.' Luvu has also doubled down, as he was still answering questions about this when the Commanders began OTAs. "I said what I said... You all caught that, right? It's easy to see what he meant. For now, the conversation doesn't seem like it's ending. Advertisement Philadelphia sees its secret weapon as legalized aggression and flawless execution. Luvu and others know a rugby scrum and refuse to give the Eagles credit for mastering a legal play. There's one way to settle this: when Philadelphia and Washington renew unpleasantries on the gridiron. Mark those calendars. They meet in Week 16 and Week 18. Dates and times of those games have yet to be determined. One thing is sure. There isn't a Birds fan walking who won't be paying attention. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Frankie Luvul stands by remarks about the Eagles Tush Push
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Should the NFL ban the tush push? NFL experts debate
That became especially true when Shawn Hochuli channeled his inner annoyed principal and told the Washington Commanders he could award the Eagles a score in the NFC championship game. So like kids on the playground at recess, some NFL teams have learned that life isn't fair and they're ready to do something about it. Some have tried and almost all have failed to replicate the success that was pioneered by Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and Nick Sirianni. The Green Bay Packers chose to present the case to ban the controversial play, and NFL owners are set to vote on its fate this week. The question is: Should it be banned? Does the "tush push" rise to the level of annoyance like Silly Bandz or fidget spinners? Is it as dangerous as old-fashioned dodgeball or a book that found itself caught up in a heated political debate? USA TODAY Sports' NFL experts present their cases on the "Brotherly Shove" and whether or not the play should be outlawed: Nate Davis I could be swayed to vote against the push play - but in the future, when it reaches the point of essentially being an automatic conversion league-wide, similar to what extra points became when they were 20-yard kicks. But now? Putting a stop to it in the moment feels something like a vendetta against the Super Bowl champion Eagles, who use it far more frequently - and effectively - than any other team. After all, the NFL is only a copycat league when you can copy the cat - but the Eagles have tush-pushed like no other. And I've been around them more than enough to know how they feel. Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson told me it's basically a modified quarterback sneak, so legislating it out of the game is problematic - though I might concede having QB Jalen Hurts rammed from behind by TE Dallas Goedert and others could be the component of the play most logically disallowed. Left tackle Jordan Mailata told me after last season's NFC championship game rout of the Washington Commanders, who crumbled against the tush push - I see you, Frankie Luvu - that the strategy encapsulated Philly winning in the "mental warfare" department. As for the notion it's dangerous - despite the utter lack of data to support that theorem - come on. You really going to contend the tush push is more fraught with bodily risk than RB Saquon Barkley barreling toward a goal line packed with bodies at full speed - for him or defenders? You want my vote to kill the tush push? Fine. Just bring me a better case than I've seen to date. Until then? Stop the Eagles. Or successfully mimic them. Vote: Keep it! MORE: How Commanders turned Eagles' signature tush push into 'mental warfare' Tyler Dragon It seems that most of the NFL's rules cater toward the offense and handicap the defense, so it's kind of refreshing to see the NFL consider a rule that helps the defense. But the tush push isn't a play the NFL should outlaw. According to ESPN, the Eagles have a success rate of 86% since they started doing the tush push in 2022. The NFL average is 76%. While the success rate is high in short-yardage situations, the play isn't unstoppable. I'm all for the NFL becoming a bit more physical on both sides of football (and still remaining as safe as possible). There isn't evidence to suggest that the tush push is a dangerous play. But it's a physical play in an NFL game that's becoming less physical. Vote: Keep it! Tom Viera The Eagles are one of 32 teams with a competitive advantage on this play. In 2024, they successfully executed 28 out of 34 "tush push" attempts, according to Next Gen Stats. Other teams prepare for the play, but they still can't stop it. That's bad for entertainment value, therefore it's bad for business. Imagine in a few years' time if all 32 teams learned to run the "tush push" successfully; How's that entertaining? Dust off the traditional QB sneak perfected by Tom Brady, which never garnered the same level of ire and detest as the "tush push." Should the play be banned, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are likely to navigate this situation better than many expect. Vote: Ban it! Jack McKessy The Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the play reads like a tattletale child on the playground that didn't get included in the latest game of tag. "Well if I can't have fun, then no one should." All 32 teams could run the same exact play if they so choose. There's no "secret" or "hidden method," but the other 31 teams still don't try it. With that being the case, Occam's razor would say the Eagles simply run a quarterback sneak play better than every other team, and every other team can't run their own "tush push" effectively. It's a copycat league, so why hasn't this play been effectively copied yet in the three years since it's been introduced? That's not to mention the poor wording of the current proposal, which leaves plenty of room for loopholes and liberal interpretations. And if the rule change does pass, the Eagles and other teams will simply find those loopholes or come up with other ways to run effective plays in short yardage situations. Banning a play that only one out of 32 teams has used effectively and consistently for three years is like the teacher listening to that aforementioned tattletale child and banning the game of tag at recess. The rest of the kids are just going to find other ways to have fun. Vote: Keep it! Ayrton Ostly Winning consistently in the NFL is tough. There are only so many ways to find small margins that make the difference on a weekly basis and teams shouldn't be punished for finding advantages with their personnel. The Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the league and a powerful runner at quarterback. Getting the upper hand in leverage in the trenches is no new concept. Philadelphia's just better at it than other teams due to their unique talent on the roster. Don't get mad and complain to the teacher (in this case, the NFL) to get the one kid banned from playing a game a certain way just because you can't exactly replicate it or beat them. Figure out how to win. Other NFL teams need to catch up in doing it themselves and/or invest in better ways to combat it defensively. Vote: Keep it! Nick Brinkerhoff Death, taxes and "tush push" first downs can't be the only things guaranteed in life. Yes, other teams have failed, but what if they don't going forward? Do we want to live in a world where players get their tushes pushed all game long? Think of the children - and the game that'll be left behind. As it's said, one person has a tendency of ruining it for the rest. In this case, that's the Eagles. Inadvertent or not, they pushed the envelope too far, making their play too big of a talking point. It's a lot like that local restaurant that gets noticed by a big celebrity; You're happy for their bottom line and the success that follows, but annoyed that the 20 minute wait is now 40 and items on the menu are sold out. Sometimes there is too much of a good thing and the Eagles may learn that the hard way. The "tush push" must go. Vote: Ban it! Joe Rivera Much like D.J. Khaled, the Eagles are suffering from success. Is it fair to penalize Philadelphia for being too good at one play? Probably not. However, unlike the NFL's oftentimes reactionary and late-to-the-party nature on rule changes, it's better for the league to get out in front of this than wait until the copycats crack the code on what makes the "tush push" darn near automatic. Sure, not all 31 other squads have a world-class offensive line and a quarterback who can squat Volkswagens, and at least a small fraction won't for a long time, if ever. But, as a fan, do you want to wait until that point in which those other teams are spending the majority of their Sundays pushing their own quarterbacks around more than the opposing team's? Do you want to see the drama and suspense sucked out of critical short-yardage situations? That doesn't sound like an entertaining product to watch. No one has been able to replicate the Eagles' success on the "tush push." That doesn't mean the league never will. I'd rather not wait to find out what that looks like on NFL Sundays. Vote: Ban it! Final tally Keep it: Four votesBan it: Three votes
NBC Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
As NFL obsesses with possible risks of tush push, it has embraced an increase in kickoff returns
The NFL is about to kill the tush push. Regardless of whether it will keep the Eagles from running the most consistently effective quarterback sneak the NFL has ever seen. Everyone knows it's happening because someone decided he doesn't like it. Whether it was the catalyst or the straw that broke the camel's back, the sequence from the NFC Championship seemingly sparked the effort to get rid of it. In the days after the Commanders repeatedly jumped offside at the goal line, prompting a warning from referee Shawn Hochuli that one more violation would result in a touchdown being awarded to Philadelphia, Fox rules analyst and former NFL V.P. of officiating Mike Pereira predicted it — the 'ugliness' of that moment would renew the effort to short-circuit the play. No one will admit that it's going away because of the optics of the play. When pressed for reasoning, the league shifts the goal posts from safety to 'it's not football' to 'pace of play' to whatever else can be fashioned with a semi-straight face. As one league source has explained it, there's a clear irony to the situation. In the absence of data to suggest that the tush push creates an actual safety risk, the league has focused on the possibility that a serious injury could possibly happen. And once the genie of possible liability has exited the bottle, the lawyers will plug the opening. Meanwhile, the league has embraced a change to the kickoff play that will encourage even more returns. Even if the new formation, which eliminates high-speed collisions by cramming most of the players together (except for the kicker, who can and does get blown up, sir), is safer than the old formation, there will be at least 100 more iterations of the kickoff play in 2025. With not a peep about the potential impact on player safety. The pushing of the quarterback doesn't add much to the play. It's a quarterback sneak. And the quarterback sneak will continue, whenever the Eagles get close to a first down or a touchdown. Hopefully, the Eagles will run a quarterback sneak on their first play of the regular-season opener. Every team that votes against the tush-push ban — and every team that wanted to oppose it but got its arm twisted into going along — should do the same. And when the Eagles face the Packers on a Monday night in November, here's hoping the Eagles will run the quarterback sneak repeatedly on the opening drive of the game.
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Should the NFL ban the 'tush push'? The case for and against outlawing Eagles' signature play
Should the NFL ban the 'tush push'? The case for and against outlawing Eagles' signature play Show Caption Hide Caption Five NFL games we can't wait to watch in the 2025 season The NFL schedule for the 2025-2026 season has been released. Here are a few games on our must-watch list. When it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles' infamous "tush push," some have more to say than others. The Eagles have made a living on that signature play that comes with many nicknames. In 2024, they rode that controversy all the way to a Super Bowl victory. That was enough to ramp up the conversation. That became especially true when Shawn Hochuli channeled his inner annoyed principal and told the Washington Commanders he could award the Eagles a score in the NFC championship game. So like kids on the playground at recess, some NFL teams have learned that life isn't fair and they're ready to do something about it. Some have tried and almost all have failed to replicate the success that was pioneered by Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and Nick Sirianni. The Green Bay Packers chose to present the case to ban the controversial play, and NFL owners are set to vote on its fate this week. The question is: Should it be banned? Does the "tush push" rise to the level of annoyance like Silly Bandz or fidget spinners? Is it as dangerous as old-fashioned dodgeball or a book that found itself caught up in a heated political debate? USA TODAY Sports' NFL experts present their cases on the "Brotherly Shove" and whether or not the play should be outlawed: Nate Davis I could be swayed to vote against the push play – but in the future, when it reaches the point of essentially being an automatic conversion league-wide, similar to what extra points became when they were 20-yard kicks. But now? Putting a stop to it in the moment feels something like a vendetta against the Super Bowl champion Eagles, who use it far more frequently – and effectively – than any other team. After all, the NFL is only a copycat league when you can copy the cat – but the Eagles have tush-pushed like no other. And I've been around them more than enough to know how they feel. Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson told me it's basically a modified quarterback sneak, so legislating it out of the game is problematic – though I might concede having QB Jalen Hurts rammed from behind by TE Dallas Goedert and others could be the component of the play most logically disallowed. Left tackle Jordan Mailata told me after last season's NFC championship game rout of the Washington Commanders, who crumbled against the tush push – I see you, Frankie Luvu – that the strategy encapsulated Philly winning in the 'mental warfare' department. As for the notion it's dangerous – despite the utter lack of data to support that theorem – come on. You really going to contend the tush push is more fraught with bodily risk than RB Saquon Barkley hitting a goal line packed with bodies at full speed – for him or defenders? You want my vote to kill the tush push? Fine. Just bring me a better case than I've seen to date. Until then? Stop the Eagles. Or successfully mimic them. Vote: Keep it! MORE: How Commanders turned Eagles' signature tush push into 'mental warfare' Tyler Dragon It seems that most of the NFL's rules cater toward the offense and handicap the defense, so it's kind of refreshing to see the NFL consider a rule that helps the defense. But the tush push isn't a play the NFL should outlaw. According to ESPN, the Eagles have a success rate of 86% since they started doing the tush push in 2022. The NFL average is 76%. While the success rate is high in short-yardage situations, the play isn't unstoppable. I'm all for the NFL becoming a bit more physical on both sides of football (and still remaining as safe as possible). There isn't evidence to suggest that the tush push is a dangerous play. But it's a physical play in an NFL game that's becoming less physical. Vote: Keep it! Tom Viera The Eagles are one of 32 teams with a competitive advantage on this play. In 2024, they successfully executed 28 out of 34 "tush push" attempts, according to Next Gen Stats. Other teams prepare for the play, but they still can't stop it. That's bad for entertainment value, therefore it's bad for business. Imagine in a few years' time if all 32 teams learned to run the "tush push" successfully; How's that entertaining? Dust off the traditional QB sneak perfected by Tom Brady, which never garnered the same level of ire and detest as the "tush push." Should the play be banned, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are likely to navigate this situation better than many expect. Vote: Ban it! Jack McKessy The Green Bay Packers' proposal to ban the play reads like a tattletale child on the playground that didn't get included in the latest game of tag. 'Well if I can't have fun, then no one should.' All 32 teams could run the same exact play if they so choose. There's no 'secret' or 'hidden method,' but the other 31 teams still don't try it. With that being the case, Occam's razor would say the Eagles simply run a quarterback sneak play better than every other team, and every other team can't run their own 'tush push' effectively. It's a copycat league, so why hasn't this play been effectively copied yet in the three years since it's been introduced? That's not to mention the poor wording of the current proposal, which leaves plenty of room for loopholes and liberal interpretations. And if the rule change does pass, the Eagles and other teams will simply find those loopholes or come up with other ways to run effective plays in short yardage situations. Banning a play that only one out of 32 teams has used effectively and consistently for three years is like the teacher listening to that aforementioned tattletale child and banning the game of tag at recess. The rest of the kids are just going to find other ways to have fun. Vote: Keep it! Ayrton Ostly Winning consistently in the NFL is tough. There are only so many ways to find small margins that make the difference on a weekly basis and teams shouldn't be punished for finding advantages with their personnel. The Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the league and a powerful runner at quarterback. Getting the upper hand in leverage in the trenches is no new concept. Philadelphia's just better at it than other teams due to their unique talent on the roster. Don't get mad and complain to the teacher (in this case, the NFL) to get the one kid banned from playing a game a certain way just because you can't exactly replicate it or beat them. Figure out how to win. Other NFL teams need to catch up in doing it themselves and/or invest in better ways to combat it defensively. Vote: Keep it! Nick Brinkerhoff Death, taxes and "tush push" first downs can't be the only things guaranteed in life. Yes, other teams have failed, but what if they don't going forward? Do we want to live in a world where players get their tushes pushed all game long? Think of the children – and the game that'll be left behind. As it's said, one person has a tendency of ruining it for the rest. In this case, that's the Eagles. Inadvertent or not, they pushed the envelope too far, making their play too big of a talking point. It's a lot like that local restaurant that gets noticed by a big celebrity; You're happy for their bottom line and the success that follows, but annoyed that the 20 minute wait is now 40 and items on the menu are sold out. Sometimes there is too much of a good thing and the Eagles may learn that the hard way. The "tush push" must go. Vote: Ban it! Joe Rivera Much like D.J. Khaled, the Eagles are suffering from success. Is it fair to penalize Philadelphia for being too good at one play? Probably not. However, unlike the NFL's oftentimes reactionary and late-to-the-party nature on rule changes, it's better for the league to get out in front of this than wait until the copycats crack the code on what makes the "tush push" darn near automatic. Sure, not all 31 other squads have a world-class offensive line and a quarterback who can squat Volkswagens, and at least a small fraction won't for a long time, if ever. But, as a fan, do you want to wait until that point in which those other teams are spending the majority of their Sundays pushing their own quarterbacks around more than the opposing team's? Do you want to see the drama and suspense sucked out of critical short-yardage situations? That doesn't sound like an entertaining product to watch. No one has been able to replicate the Eagles' success on the "tush push." That doesn't mean the league never will. I'd rather not wait to find out what that looks like on NFL Sundays. Vote: Ban it! Final tally Keep it: Four votesBan it: Three votes
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former NFL head of officiating believes league will look into potentially banning Eagles 'tush push'
During the NFC Championship game, the Washington Commanders nearly fell victim to a decades-old rule that allowed the referee to award points to an opposing team due to intentional infractions. The announcement by Shawn Hochuli had many scratching their heads, thinking there was no way that was legal. It's a rule that's been in place since 1942 and has never once been used. The play in question was a goal-line stand by the Commanders. They were lined up to defend against the Philadelphia Eagles' controversial 'tush-push' play, where Jalen Hurts is quite literally pushed from behind to gain a first down on a short-yard play. Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu, in an attempt to time the snap, jumped offsides multiple times, leading to the aforementioned warning. The Eagles started using it in 2022, which immediately sparked outrage at a defense's inability to stop it. Former NFL head of officiating Mike Pereira believes the NFL will look into the play more closely this offseason. 'I think it will be a conversation. . . . I think with the ugliness of that, they'll take a further look at it,' Pereira said. There has been talk of the NFL banning the tush push, but nothing has ever come of it. Until now. It took the Commanders committing multiple penalties trying to defend this play to get the attention of the NFL 'To think that any play in a game led to what a referee could do, which is actually award a score without a play,' Pereira said. 'I mean when you get to that — called a 'palpably unfair act,' which I'd been waiting for 15 years to say on air. I was so excited. I almost spit it out right away. But I think with the ugliness of that, they'll take a further look at it. But again, it's going to evolve around injury data. If there's been injuries from it, there is a chance that it could get [eliminated]. 'I think it'll continue being looked at, [and] maybe at somewhere down the road making a change.' Even without injuries, that particular play is nearly impossible to defend. Whether these conversations happen or not, as well as any changes that come with those conversations, remains to be seen.
