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EspañolHeading into the Philadelphia Eagles' offseason, the usual conversations were on the table: the salary cap, roster turnover, and free agency. Occasional conversations we have gotten accustomed to entertaining were also revisited: another fired offensive coordinator and whether Jalen Hurts is the man for the job.
Here's something we haven't discussed this offseason. Remember the Tush Push? It appears there hasn't been the same 'push', pun intended, to abolish its existence. Still, it was mentioned at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was on the receiving end of the question, and you have to hear his response.
This was one of the better defenses of the Eagles' infamous play that we have heard.
Sean Payton is a real one for this, talking about the Tush Push yesterday.
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) February 25, 2026
“If that ever goes away, it’s not a health and safety thing. We discussed that last year for two hours and we adopted 1,000 more kick returns. Which play is more of a health risk? If we ever move off of… pic.twitter.com/aD7WmbWAuz
Ladies and gentlemen, we understand the NFL trend is to hire young coaches. Offensive coordinators are 29 years old now, for Heaven's sake.
For our money, however, give us one of the old guys. They're old school. They love physicality, and most of the time, they don't care what they say or how you'll respond.
Payton is right. If you ban the Eagles' Tush Push because Philadelphia runs it too well, next people will want to ban A.J. Brown's slant route or Patrick Surtain for playing man coverage because they're too good at it.
It seems strange that the Buffalo Bills complained about player safety and then ran their own version during a playoff game to secure victory. The noise has quieted, and now, a fair question naturally follows.
Why does this conversation keep resurfacing?
The Tush Push has become bigger than a single short-yardage call. It represents part of the Eagles' identity. It's who Philadelphia is as a team and city. It's about power, precision, and execution under pressure.
That's why coaches around the league keep getting asked about it. That's why Sean Payton didn't hesitate to defend it. He understands what many critics conveniently ignore.
This isn't a gimmick. It's fundamental football performed at an elite level. It's about pad levels, leverage, timing, quarterback strength, and offensive line dominance.
If other teams could replicate it consistently, they would. Most simply, it seems they can't. Philadelphia had its day in court and won, so for now the discussion has been retired by the NFL. We'll do the same. Yes, we understand you have 'Tush Push' fatigue. This is the last time we'll mention the Eagles' infamous play, and we move forward. At least, we hope so.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Sean Payton presents strongest argument in favor of Eagles' Tush Push