It’s the NFL’s version of a magic trick. The Philadelphia Eagles have a play in their playbook that feels like finding a legal loophole in a tax code. It’s a short-yardage cheat code that borders on a football certainty. For everyone else, it’s becoming as frustrating as a rain delay at the ballpark. The Eagles keep pulling this rabbit out of their hat, and the league just can’t seem to figure out the sleight of hand.
In Week 6 against the New York Giants, the Eagles took this reality to its logical extreme. They ran their infamous “Tush Push” four consecutive times from the Giants' three-yard line. The final heave resulted in a Jalen Hurts touchdown. This grinding, sequential execution felt less like a football drive and more like a construction crew methodically pounding in a pylon. And the controversy surrounding the play has reached a fever pitch.
The central issue is no longer just the play’s brutal effectiveness. Now, the spotlight is on the officials. On the second of those four pushes, replays showed right guard Tyler Steen clearly moving before the snap. No flag was thrown. This follows similar uncalled false starts in Weeks 2 and 3. The Eagles appear to be getting a consistent, if slight, head start.
Amazon rules analyst Terry McAulay acknowledged the difficulty for officials. “He was early in super-slow motion,” McAulay said on the broadcast. “If we show it in real time, I bet it wasn’t quite as obvious.” This admission fuels the fire for critics who argue the play is simply too difficult to officiate correctly in the heat of the moment. The league is clearly aware of the problem.
After the earlier incidents, the NFL sent a memo to officials. The instruction was to watch these sneaks with heightened scrutiny. Yet, on a national stage, the infraction was missed again. Every uncalled penalty strengthens the argument for the play’s opponents. The Eagles' mastery of the push is now intertwined with a perception of getting away with something.
A Chorus of Boos for the league & the Eagles
The sequence did not sit well with the watching public. Fan reactions were immediate and overwhelmingly negative, highlighting a growing frustration.
"Everyone outside of Philadelphia is tired of all the uncalled false starts…call it right or ban it," one fan stated, capturing the sentiment of many. Another posted, ***"This is disgusting. A false start, an injured player, 4 times in a row, and nothing a defense can do about it."***The injury to Giants defensive lineman D.J. Davidson on the play added a tangible consequence to the abstract debate.
This is disgusting. A false start, an injured player, 4 times in a row, and nothing a defense can do about it. Worst part about it, it’s not even a real football play. It has to go.
— Chiefs Media (@KCChiefsMedia) October 10, 2025
Some focused purely on the optics, with one commenting, "4 straight rugby plays sidestepping those pesky false start rules every time."
4 straight false starts but let's promote it rather than enforce any rules!
— ⋔aybecaleb ⊬ BREACH CLT (@MaybeCaleb5) October 10, 2025
Even the broadcast itself became part of the conversation. "The broadcast just showed the guard with an early start. How do you not call it,"questioned another viewer. However, not all criticism came from outside Philadelphia. One Eagles fan expressed bewilderment:"As an Eagles fan. We have Saquon, AJ Dillon, Tank Bisby and Jalen Hurts…. We can run the ball in. So I don’t get this lol."
As an Eagles fan. We have Saquon, AJ Dillon, Tank Bisby and Jalen Hurts…. We can run the ball in. So I don’t get this lol
— Beast Hazard (@beasthazard92) October 10, 2025
The frustration extended beyond mere team allegiance, focusing on the spectacle itself. Another fan lamented the monotony, writing, ***"The least you can do is limit how many times a team can run that Tush Push Play.. Over/Under 3 times a game? 🤔"***Others zeroed in on the officiating.
The least you can do is limit how many times a team can run that Tush Push Play..
Over/Under 3 times a game? 🤔
— KaizerRev (@Kaizerrev) October 10, 2025
One comment read, "NFL: 'hey our refs are gonna start watching for false starts super closely for sure'. The refs: 👨🦯" This sense of defensive helplessness was summarized by a fan who stated, "False start , false start , false start , false start . Keep celebrating the most boring play in football @NFL".
NFL: “hey our refs are gonna start watching for false starts super closely for sure”.
The refs: 👨🦯
— Brendan (@MeatyPens) October 10, 2025
This growing chorus of discontent puts the NFL in a tough spot. The Eagles, meanwhile, will use every tool at their disposal to win. But their signature weapon is creating a public relations problem for the league. Each successful, yet contentious, push brings a potential ban closer to reality.
Read more:Quinyon Mitchell deepens Nick Sirianni’s troubles as Eagles' defense wobbles again
The debate is no longer about fairness alone but about the fundamental image of the game. In the end, the league may have to make a choice, echoing the sentiment from The Dark Knight: “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”