Love it or hate it, the Philadelphia Eagles’ controversial “Tush Push” just survived its biggest test yet. In a nail-biting vote that had NFL insiders holding their breath, team owners came tantalizingly close to banning the play that’s been dominating headlines and driving defensive coordinators crazy. But when the dust settled, the proposal fell just two votes short, meaning Jalen Hurts and company get to keep their secret weapon for another season. So, what does this mean for the Eagles’ championship hopes? Who were the power players lobbying behind closed doors? Well, that’s a later question, but now NFL legends like Tony Dungy are weighing in with some seriously heated takes.

The Eagles basically turned the boring old quarterback sneak into an unstoppable force of nature. They call it the “Tush Push,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Jalen Hurts gets behind center, the entire offensive line—plus some extra bodies—line up behind him, and they just bulldoze forward. With Hurts’ raw power, that elite O-line, and surgical precision, they were converting this play at an absolutely ridiculous rate.

Naturally, the rest of the NFL wasn’t having it. Twenty-two owners wanted this play dead and buried—and they weren’t alone. Even Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy came out swinging against it. Eagles Nation dropped this gem on their Twitter feed, where Dungy laid it all out. He said he’s ‘disappointed’ the Tush Push wasn’t banned: “I just think it’s not fair football. I was disappointed, but not surprised… To me, it’s like if you’re at the 1-yard line, and they put two WRs on top of each other and threw the ball to him… It’s not a play that’s fair.” But here’s where it gets interesting—guess who swooped in to save the day?

None other than Jason Kelce, the recently retired Eagles legend, who teamed up with owner Jeffrey Lurie for some serious behind-the-scenes lobbying.

According to Dianna Russini’s reporting for The New York Times, this was basically a last-second Hail Mary. Jeffrey Lurie had been working the phones for days leading up to the vote, sweet-talking other owners and building a coalition. His pitch? Sure, maybe the league needs to refine how the play works—but banning it outright? That was too extreme. “It’s the safest play in the history of the game,” Lurie told the room full of owners.

And Kelce? He delivered the perfect closer. He reminded everyone that he had run the Tush Push countless times over his final two seasons—then dropped this absolute gem: “If I could run 60 Tush Pushes a game, I’d come back.” When the dust settled, the ban fell two votes short. The Eagles celebrated by trolling the entire league with a 22-minute highlight reel of Tush Push plays on Twitter. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.

Of course, not everyone’s celebrating. Tony Dungy’s frustration still echoes what plenty of fans are feeling— tha͏t ͏this play bre͏aks the͏ spirit of ͏fai͏r co͏mpetition. Eagles fans are totally celebrating this entire tush push victory!

Tony Dungy just poked the wrong fanbase

For the second time in just two months, NFL brass gathered around a conference table to debate whether to kill off the Tush Push. And once again, the play that has everyone twisted in knots will return to terrorize defenses in 2025. But let’s be real—this won’t be the last time we’re having this conversation.

The Tush Push is basically football’s version of time travel. Watching it feels like a throwback to old-school rugby scrums, where bodies just pile up and drive forward. Put leather helmets on these players, and you’re practically watching the Flying Wedge—the brutal formation banned over 150 years ago for being too dangerous.

While the league’s suits wring their hands, Eagles fans are loving every second of the drama. The comment section under Tony Dungy’s criticism turned into a full-blown battlefield. One fan fired back, “All is fair in love and war. And football is war.” Another kept it simple: “I’ll never get why people think gaining 1 yard should be so hard.” And honestly? Eagles fans have every right to express.

They rode the Tush Push straight to a Super Bowl run last season, and the play was nearly unstoppable. We’re talking video game numbers—since 2022, the Eagles have converted the Tush Push at a staggering 91.3% success rate.

That’s not just good—it’s almost automatic. To put it in perspective, NFL kickers made 92.4% of their extra points last season, and those are supposed to be gimmes. The fan reactions kept getting spicier. One Eagles supporter said, “Is it against the rulebook? No, so it’s a fair play.” Another fired back at Dungy: “It’s not fair… anyone can do that.” But here’s the thing—not everyone can.

Sure, any team could line up and try the play, but Jalen Hurts isn’t your average quarterback. At 223 pounds of pure muscle, he’s made the Tush Push his personal highlight reel. Over three years, he’s bulldozed his way to 27 touchdowns and 92 first downs using this play alone.

The crazy part? According to ESPN, the Eagles and Bills have run the Tush Push more in the past three seasons than the other 30 NFL teams combined. That’s not just using a play—that’s mastering it. So, the anti-Tush Push crowd will have to suck it up for at least another year. They can complain about fairness all they want, but until the rulebook changes, the Eagles will keep pushing their way to victory—one yard at a time.