As the debate continues over whether or not to ban the so-called "tush push"—the Philadelphia Eagles' version of a quarterback sneak—former Eagles' coordinators have made clear their stance on the play, which the team has essentially perfected under the leadership of current head coach Nick Sirianni.
Previously, Sirianni had quipped that the maneuver should at the very least have the support of New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, all former Eagles coordinators who earned their top brass positions after using and benefitting from the tush push during their time with the Birds.
Well, all three ex-assistants do seem like they would vote in favor of keeping the play in if/when the time comes.
"Nick knows where I stand," Gannon has said of the controversy.
"I got Nick['s back]," added Moore. "Other teams have tried it and haven't had as much success. Jalen [Hurts], the offensive line of Philly, they've been committed to it. And so it's an investment thing."
"I'm not in favor of taking it out," Steichen said. "It's been around for a long time, to be completely honest. Because when you're on the half-yard line, backed up and you got to run a QB sneak, people are usually back there pushing. [The Eagles] just brought it to the field of play a couple years ago."
The NFL tabled the ban proposal, initially floated by the Green Bay Packers, at the league's annual meeting earlier this week, but it's likely the debate is revisited in May. Currently, it's been reported that teams are split 16-16 on their opinion re: banning, but the league would need 24 votes in favor of the change for anything to actually happen.
In the meantime, though, it would seem like Sirianni can indeed count on at least three of those 16 votes to hold strong.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nick Sirianni’s Old Eagles Coordinators Shared Their Honest Takes on Tush Push Debate.
