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Two weeks into the 2025 season, the Tush Push has caused confusion again. No team runs it better than the Philadelphia Eagles, and no defense dreads it more than the ones trying to stop Jalen Hurts as he powers forward behind that wall of linemen.

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Even Fox Sports rules analyst Dean Blandino had enough on Sunday, when the Eagles snatched a 20–17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Blandino, who was brought in by Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady to break down another quarterback sneak, snapped:

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“I am done with the Tush Push, guys. It’s a hard play to officiate, like we’ve been talking about.”

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He had a point. Jalen Hurts was called upon seven times by the Philly formation in their standard rugby scrum of a quarterback sneak. The result? The fourth-quarter game-changing touchdown added on to the frustrations of the defenders and viewers.

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But Philly’s not bothered about the cries. One clip on X featured the Eagles offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, joking about the outrage.

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“Extra discussion this week about the QB sneak… are you guys worried that the refs are going to be calling it even closer than they ever have?” One reporter asked him.

Patullo smirked, tossing the complaint right back. “I mean, some games they call it close, some games they don’t. Defense is always lined offsides anyway, so…”

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In May, NFL owners fell short by two votes to kill it. A vote of 22 to 10 against the ban was not enough because the vote had to reach 24.

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The twist of the surprise was made possible by the actions of Jeffrey Lurie and Jason Kelce, both appeared to the mic and defended themselves.

The owner of the Eagles and the retired All-Pro center contended that the sneak was the nature of football. It’s not a gimmick over the loophole.

And now their words carry weight. Philadelphia remains indifferent, at least until the rest of the league boils over, but another vote looms.

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If owners want the Tush Push gone, the battleground will be the 2026 spring meetings in Phoenix (March 29–April 1). Until then, the Eagles will keep pushing, and everyone else will keep pushing back.

Eagles’ Tush Push draws heat as Andy Reid demands calls

The Tush Push will not be quieted, and this week it is Andy Reid and Sean McVay stoking the fire.

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With Eagles-Rams up next, McVay admitted he’s already reached out to the league office about the sneaks, making it clear he doesn’t expect Philadelphia to get a rolling start on Sunday.

“Anytime that you see certain things, you have conversations with the league office to just make sure that you’re understanding how’s it officiated, how can we coach it,” McVay said, before adding with blunt respect: “I did see some of those things last night, and that will obviously be a big talking point because they’re such a damn good team and it’s such a successful play for them.”

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Reid, however, had no temper to gambol around it following the Super Bowl rematch. Asked about what he saw on tape, he fired back:

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“I think you know the answer to it. If guys are moving early, then you’ve got to call that. So, they’ll go back and look at that and see what their evaluation is of it. It could be different than mine.”

Andy wants the league to take an action: do not allow Philly to cross the line.

Former Chiefs tight end Jason Dunn echoed the same:

“You’ve got to go and scrunch almost like they do when they do that at 4th of one, and they try to go and do the whole, uh, illegal tush push, because it was illegal, because they jumped outside a couple times, and that’s something they need to be looking at.”

So where does that leave the NFL? Will Philly’s signature shove keep bulldozing through both defenders and debates?

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Sehaj Kour

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Sehaj Kour Raina is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports who brings a fan-first perspective to her coverage of rookie breakouts, trade deadline developments, and locker room dynamics. Before dedicating herself full-time to football, Sehaj covered a range of sports including gymnastics, wrestling, and the NHL. This diverse background has sharpened her instincts for fast-paced stories and given her a well-rounded edge as a sports journalist. Her experience as a competitive gymnast provides Sehaj with an insider’s appreciation for athletic precision, discipline, and resilience, which she incorporates into her reporting. Whether breaking down game film or revisiting memorable Mic’d Up moments, Sehaj delivers coverage that is both insightful and energetic, resonating deeply with football fans and sports enthusiasts alike.

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Syed Talib Haider

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