Earlier in the week, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts discussed the famous “Tush Push” play. While appearing on “The Tonight Show” alongside Saquon Barkley, Hurts was asked whether he liked the name of the play or if he opted to call it something else.
The “Tush Push” is effectively a QB sneak with more force behind it. It usually consists of two players slightly behind and on either side of the quarterback, with both players pushing the quarterback forward, in addition to the QB sneaking the ball. The Eagles have been the most successful team in the NFL with the play and have had some iconic nicknames for the move, such as the “Tush Push” and the “Brotherly Shove.”
What Did Jalen Hurts Say About the ‘Tush Push?’
Hurts was asked by host Jimmy Fallon if he calls the famous play the “Tush push.”
“It’s not what I call it. You know, I’m not gonna to say what I call it, but it’s not that. Everybody came up with their own name for it. You know, the ‘Brotherly Shove,’ the ‘Tush Push,’ all these different things. It’s not that,” Hurts stated.
This led Barkley to explain how he was surprised upon becoming a member of the Eagles that the team did not call the play the “Tush Push.”
“I was shocked too, because when I got there, I’d known it as the ‘Tush Push,’ but I didn’t know if that’s what it would be called. But, I thought it was called that. And, it’s not called the ‘Tush Push’ actually,” Barkley added.
Hurts’ Success on the ‘Tush Push’
The aforementioned play has been one of the most successful plays for the Eagles in recent years. According to CBS Sports, the Eagles converted 38 out of 47 Tush Push plays this year. Of those nine failed attempts, the Eagles ended up converting the Tush Push again on the next play eight times, meaning that the team only truly failed one time the whole year.
Though a key part of the play is the strength of Hurts and those pushing (usually Barkley and tight end Dallas Goedert), the main reason behind its success comes down to the skill, strength, and size of the Eagles’ offensive line. As was mentioned during Super Bowl 59, the Eagles had the tallest and heaviest offensive line in Super Bowl history (average 6’6″ and 338 pounds).