It's already pretty easy to hate on the Philadelphia Eagles but Thursday night's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals provided more fuel to the fire for their detractors.
In the first quarter, down 7-0 with hardly any starters on the field, the Eagles decided to call their signature play in a fourth and goal situation. That's right, Philadelphia deployed the "Tush Push" to score its first touchdown of the preseason.
๐จ Preseason Brotherly Shove ๐จ
โ NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2025
Stream CINvsPHI on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0Ms1Fos66V
"The Brotherly Shove," as it's alternatively called, was almost banned during this offseason after the Green Bay Packers proposed a rule change during owner meetings. Obviously, it did not pass and the play endures.
NFL fans still insulted by Eagles' Tush Push even in preseason
While some may think nothing of the controversial play being used in a nothing game, others online took offense to the Eagles using their seeming cheat code so soon.
They kept this move legal?
โ jasich.eth | collab manager (@thejasich) August 7, 2025
Yeah letโs ban this crap already
โ DFS DYNASTY๐๐ (@thedfsdynasty) August 8, 2025
Holy tryhards its pre season๐
โ Snoopy ๐ (@GonzoSzn0) August 7, 2025
Regardless of what the intentions were behind deploying the "Tush Push" in a preseason game, fans ought to know that this is in Philadelphia's playbook for a reason. It works. The Eagles might as well get their backups used to practicing it in the case there's a slew of injuries.
What's even more so is the fact that if other teams can't stop it and can't get their backups exposed to it, then it really does become an unbeatable play. It doesn't matter what side of the debate you fall on, that's just smart football.
Since 2022, there have been a dozen teams that have scored using the "Tush Push," according to ESPN. Philadelphia, of course, has run more than any other team (124 for 106 first downs and 33 touchdowns, nearly double that of the Buffalo Bills in second place) and it has converted 85.5% of them. Buffalo has a better first-down success rate than the Eagles, however, and has converted 88.2% (60 of 68 attempts) for first downs.
People can complain all they want, and the Eagles know they will, but as long as it's legal, Philadelphia is going to continue to kill teams with the "Tush Push" as long as it possibly can.