Eagles’ Nick Sirianni Sounds Off on ‘Tush Push’ False Start Accusations
The Philadelphia Eagles got a big win on Sunday over the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl. The final score was 20-17, but the Eagles controlled most of the game, dominating the Chiefs on the ground in Arrowhead Stadium on their way to the win.
As is becoming increasingly common after Philadelphia games, the Eagles received a lot of scrutiny for the execution of their infamous “tush push” play. While the standard quarterback sneak is more straightforward, the Eagles created a unique play where they line up two players directly behind the quarterback to push him through the pile. It’s an incredibly effective play, one with a high conversion rate. Even if they get stopped at first, they’ll simply line it up and try again.
A big part of the play’s success is the expertise with which the Eagles execute it. The offensive line gets incredibly low to the ground and wins with perfect leverage, creating a yard or so of space to drive through. After the game, a video went viral of a supposed false start penalty on one of these plays. During one goal line sequence, video appears to show both Philadelphia guards moving before the snap, and potentially lined up offsides, too. The video sparked intense debate online.
Philadelphia Eagles HC Nick Sirianni on the Tush Push Play
Al Bello/GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 20: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles scores a touchdown with the Tush Push play against the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on October 20, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
During his post-game press conference, Sirianni was asked about the video and if he thought his team committed a false start penalty. “I think that the one clip I saw of it was slowed down so much that I’m not sure you can see that to the naked [eye],” he said. “I mean, it was slowed down so much.”
“And I get how we can manipulate things and show things like that. But it was slowed down so much, it was like…,” Sirianni said, imitating three beats with his hands to mimic the timing. “Right? But we understand that we have to be perfect on that play. And we’ll keep working on being perfect on that play. You know, someone shared that clip with me, and it’s like — but again, can you see that in the naked eye, right? Well, there’s things they do too on defense that sometimes you can’t see to the naked eye all the time, or the refs can’t see it also in that time to the naked eye. So you can do that with a lot of plays in football and slow it down.”
“The referees have a hard job. They have to make split-second decisions that are happening at this speed. You see that sometimes with pass interference, too — they slow it down where it’s, tch, tch tch, like really slow with the remote. And you’re like, ‘well yeah, this one you can see that it might be on this one.’ But we know we have to be perfect in that setting, and we’ll work to get even better at the play and even better with our timing. And I have no doubt that we have the right guys to be able to do it, and we will.”
The “Tush Push” Play Was Nearly Banned During the Offseason
Banning the tush push was a topic of conversation this offseason. At the annual owners meeting, it came to a vote, though the measure to ban it failed by two votes.
Discourse seems to have shifted even just two weeks into the season, however. It’s possible, if it gets put to a vote again next offseason, it’ll have a different result.
Lions Safety Brian Branch Reveals Why Win over Bears Was ‘Personal’
After a disappointing performance on the road in Week 1 against the Packers, the Detroit Lions had a lot to prove entering Week 2. They got another shot at a division opponent in the Bears, but this time they got to host them in Detroit, with a chance to make a statement.
They did just that, blitzing Chicago 52-21, and running up the score a bit at the end just for good measure. The Bears have a new head coach this year, a familiar face for the Lions — former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The top prize on the coaching carousel for several years, Johnson is considered one of the best offensive minds in the league and was behind Detroit’s famously explosive and creative offensive attack over the last three season.
Lions S Brian Branch had some thoughts on what it meant to go against Johnson after the game. “Very motivated,” he said on the players’ mindset going in. “We knew coming into this game that this is personal. Really all these game are personal, but this one was just — we felt like we’d been betrayed, from the staff to the players. And, you know, we love Ben, we still love Ben, he’s a great coach and a great mastermind. But yeah, it was time to get out there.”
Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell on Brian Branch’s Impact on the Defense
Nic Antaya/GettyDETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 18: Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders scrambles with the ball as Brian Branch #32 of the Detroit Lions dives to apply pressure during the third quarter in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ford Field on January 18, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
“Well look, it makes our job a lot easier, that’s for sure,” Campbell said on what Branch offers the Lions defense schematically. “Because he does have so much versatility. I bring it up all the time, he’s a safety that has the cover ability like a corner. He can blitz like a linebacker. And tackling, filling the gaps, run gaps. There’s so many different things he can do. I mean, the guy’s a major asset for us.”
Branch was stellar in this game, notching six tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, and a pass defensed against the Bears. He stuffed the stat sheet in practically every category, proving once again to be one of the best safeties in the NFL. The Lions needed a better performance from their defense, and Branch stepped up in a big way.
The Detroit Lions Looked Like a Wagon on Sunday
If you wanted to see something more from the Detroit Lions after a lackluster Week 1 performance, you got everything you asked for and then some in Week 2. The offense looked unstoppable, putting up 52 points with 511 total yards, but the defense did their part too.
While it wasn’t quite as stellar as the offense, Detroit’s defense came up with some key turnovers and high-leverage plays to turn the tide of the game. Branch is the linchpin of that defense in the secondary, and he did his part. Now the Lions travel to the Ravens, a team that will stress the Detroit defense in more ways than one.
