The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t just defend the Tush Push — they sent their owner, former players, and front office brass into the heart of the NFL’s spring meetings to do it. As league officials met in Minnesota to vote on whether to ban the polarizing quarterback sneak variation, Philadelphia ensured its voice was impossible to ignore. But it wasn’t just numbers and strategy doing the talking.
Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles’ longtime owner, reportedly delivered an emotional, sometimes eyebrow-raising, defense of the play during a closed-door meeting that left some league execs stunned. What began as a strategic argument turned into something far more animated — and ultimately, controversial.
Jeffrey Lurie’s Fiery Tush Push Speech, Jason Kelce’s Comeback Talk, and a Room Divided
According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, Lurie had caught wind that the Tush Push — made famous by the Eagles — was likely on its way out. That knowledge fueled a passionate hour-long address in which he defended the play and directly called out league leadership.
In his closing remarks, Lurie made a striking analogy: Likening the creation of such a dominant play to “a wet dream for a teenage boy.” The comment, made in a mixed-gender meeting room, drew immediate backlash. NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent reportedly chastised Lurie for the phrasing, calling it inappropriate.
#Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, during a lengthy speech on the Tush Push ban, called the play “a win-win” for the team regardless of whether it was banned, comparing its success to “a wet dream for a teenage boy” because it was so effective it had to be outlawed.
Lurie also… pic.twitter.com/y3zpXm70TL
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate)
But Lurie wasn’t done. He pivoted to criticize commissioner Roger Goodell and Vincent for backing the proposed ban, even suggesting that anyone who voted for it would bear liability if quarterbacks were injured on less structured sneak plays in the future. He also claimed to have consulted directly with NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills, suggesting there was no medical basis for outlawing the Tush Push.
Backing Lurie were two more prominent Eagles voices: Assistant GM Jon Ferrari and retired center Jason Kelce. Kelce, who has become an even more visible public figure since his retirement, wasn’t there just to play the nostalgia card. He was there to clear the air.
Kelce said rumors that the Tush Push influenced his decision to retire were “wildly false” — and offensive. On the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast, he and his brother, Travis, vented about the speculation, with Travis bluntly asking, “What the f***?” Jason responded, “If they vote to ban the Tush Push, the Eagles are still going to run quarterback sneak at a very high percentage.”
Kelce even joked that if all he had to do was line up and run 80 Tush Pushes a game, he’d consider coming out of retirement. “It’ll be the easiest job in the world,” he said.
The vote ultimately fell short of the 24 yes votes needed to ban the play, allowing it to stay for the 2025 season. Still, the episode underscored how divisive — and personal — the Tush Push debate has become.
Philly may have won the vote, but it came at the cost of behind-the-scenes friction that could linger long past this offseason.