Eagles' Tush Push play is borderline unstoppable. What is it, and how did it start?

Whether you call it the "Tush Push" or "The Brotherly Shove," the Philadelphia Eagles' go-to fourth-and-inches play has been extremely successful and borderline unstoppable for the defending NFC champions.

"Every first down is first-and-9," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said in October when asked about his team's Tush Push. "We have a lot of faith in that play."

The Eagles finished the 2023 regular season with the highest fourth-down conversion rate in the league, converting on 19-of-26 fourth-down attempts (73.1%). The play has been particularly effective at the goal line: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has recorded 11 1-yard rushing touchdowns so far this year.

Here's everything to know about the highly polarizing play:

What is a Tush Push?

The Tush Push is similar to the quarterback sneak. The quarterback lines up directly behind the center, but instead of the quarterback solely driving himself forward to gain yardage and move the sticks, as in a QB sneak, multiple players lined up behind the quarterback give him a push from behind to propel him forward.

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Hence the name Tush Push.

How successful is the Tush Push?

The Tush Push has been borderline unstoppable for the Eagles. Everyone knows what's coming when Philadelphia needs to pick up a yard or two, but defenses haven't been able to effectively stop it.

Last season, the Eagles had a 93.5% success rate running the Tush Push, including six times for two touchdowns in their Super Bowl 57 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to The Athletic.

It was equally successful in 2023. The Eagles converted a league-leading 73.1% of their fourth-down attempts (19-for-26) and averaged 22.1 first downs per game (fourth in the league). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were second (66.7%) and Denver Broncos are third (65%).

Why is the Tush Push controversial?

Some critics argue the Tush Push isn't a football play, instead comparing it to a rugby play.

"It amounts to a rugby scrum," Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino said in February. "The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the Competition Committee is going to take a look at it."

In September, Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio added: "I would personally like to see it eliminated, not just because they run it better than anybody – although they do run it better than anybody – but I don’t think that’s a football play. I think it’s a nice rugby play, and it’s not what we’re looking for in football."

Does the Tush Push require skill?

If this season has taught us anything, it's that the Tush Push is often imitated but hardly duplicated. Many teams across the league have attempted the play, but haven't had the same level of success as the Eagles. Some have even got hurt trying: The New York Giants lost two players in their Week 4 loss to the Seahawks due to injuries sustained on a failed Tush Push.

"There’s clearly a talent to it that our guys have. Maybe it’s automatic right now for the Philadelphia Eagles, but it’s not automatic around the NFL," Sirianni said in September. He added a month later, “You've seen it across the league. People can’t do it like we do it. ... Don’t ban this play. If everybody could do it, everybody would do it."

Will the Tush Push be banned next season?

Rule changes normally happen in the offseason. The Competition Committee "reviews all competitive aspects of the game, including (but not limited to) playing rules, roster regulations, technology, game-day operations and player protection," according to NFL Football Operations. "A new rule or a revision must have the support of 75 percent of the owners (24 yes votes out of 32 clubs)."

Whether the Tush Push is banned or not next season, Eagles center Jason Kelce is "over" the debate. "Listen, ban it. I really, at this point, I don't care. I'm over the discussion about it," Kelce said on his shared "New Heights" podcast with brother Travis Kelce.

"We were really good at running the quarterback sneak before we did the push. I don't think that it's a necessary part for it. It certainly helps, there's no question about it," Kelce said. "I don't have the energy to care about whether it gets banned or not. We're gonna run it right now because we're good at it and it's effective. And whatever they do next season, we'll figure out a way to do something at a high level and make it effective."