The 96.6% fourth-and-1 tush push conversion rate by the Philadelphia Eagles remains unmatched across the NFL, while 22 of 32 teams voted to eliminate the controversial play during May\'s league meetings.
The Eagles attempted their signature play 116 times since 2022, far exceeding any other team\'s usage. Only the Buffalo Bills have found similar success, converting 89.5% of 57 attempts, while most teams struggle to replicate Philadelphia\'s dominance.
Former Eagles coordinator Shane Steichen discovered the play\'s difficulty when moving to the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts attempted just three tush pushes under Steichen, converting none despite his intimate knowledge of the system.
Four teams have never attempted the play, while only nine have tried it 10 or more times since 2022. The league average success rate for tush pushes is 84.8%, still well below Philadelphia\'s standard.
\"We\'ve tried it at other places, and it\'s not the same replication that it is in Philly,\" said Saints coach Kellen Moore, Philadelphia\'s former offensive coordinator. \"They\'re the ones that are doing it, and all of us have tried to replicate it in some way.\"
The failed ban proposal fell just two votes short of the required 24-team majority. Coaches and executives expressed frustration with the play\'s perceived unfair advantage and injury risks.
\"There\'s just no other play in our game where you can absolutely get behind somebody and push them,\" said Falcons coach Raheem Morris, who voted against the play. \"I never really understood it, why that was legal.\"
Philadelphia\'s success stems from Jalen Hurts\' rare combination of size, strength, and instincts paired with an elite offensive line. Hurts reportedly squats nearly 600 pounds and possesses exceptional feel for finding gaps in short-yardage situations.
\"There\'s some secret ingredient that they got going on over there compared to everybody else,\" said Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.