The “tush push” may have played a significant role in the Philadelphia Eagles’ second Super Bowl victory, but Jim Nantz is ready to move on. The lead play-by-play voice for the NFL on CBS has expressed his desire to see the play retired, stating, “I’m done with the tush push.” He acknowledges its importance to the Eagles’ strategy but believes it needs to change.
Recently on What the Football with Suzy Shuster and Amy Trask, Nantz tackled this contentious topic head-on. “I think it needs to go away,” he stressed. “Philadelphia fans will protest, saying, ‘Why are you penalizing us?’ But I simply don’t like the play. It feels too automatic.” He referenced a moment in the first half of Super Bowl LIX when the Eagles had a first-and-goal at the four-yard line and opted for a field goal instead of executing the tush push. “Why wouldn’t you just run the tush push? You’ve got four plays to get it across; you’re likely only going to need two.”
Nantz elaborated, “Jalen [Hurts] doesn’t fumble that snap. He’s going to gain a yard and a half every time. It was later in the game, and it could have completely broken Kansas City, but I still don’t like the play. It just doesn’t feel like football to me.” Though he may be stepping into controversy, Nantz appears unbothered by the backlash. In October 2023, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post faced criticism for calling for the banning of the ‘tush push’ following the Eagles’ 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins, echoing Nantz’s sentiments that it is not a legitimate football play—which Shuster also agreed with.
Nantz suggested a potential compromise, saying, “Maybe you could do something to phase it out a little bit — and totally penalize it. Perhaps similar to coaches’ challenges, you could have one or two a game. Don’t eliminate it completely; just allow teams to have it in their back pocket and use it strategically.” Whether this controversial play will remain in the game may not depend on public opinion; Nantz is firmly standing by his perspective.
