Mark Nov. 30 on your calendar, folks. On Black Friday, something that doesn't happen that often occurred: The Eagles' effective and much-maligned Tush Push play was stalled during their loss to the Bears after Chicago cornerback Nahshon Wright punched the ball loose from Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts.
The surprising development, as well as Philadelphia's 24-15 loss to the Bears, led to some difficult questions being asked of Hurts, particularly about the Tush Push—a play so unstoppable that it was nearly banned this past offseason.
So, Hurts was asked point blank: Are teams starting to figure out the Tush Push?
“It’s becoming tougher and tougher,” Hurts said. “But ultimately, me holding onto the ball, that’s something I can control.”
Not only that, but Hurts acknowledged another potential issue with the Tush Push in light of his fumble—ball security.
“It’s been like that for a very long time,” Hurts said of the Tush Push play potentially creating issues with ball security.
Did the Bears figure out how to stop the Tush Push?
Facing a third-and-1 from the Bears' 12-yard line, the Eagles lined up for the Tush Push and Hurts drove forward into the pile. But Wright waited patiently for the right moment, and, when he had a clear shot at Hurts and the football, wrestled the ball out of Hurts's hands and recovered it for a forced fumble.
.@nahwrig said "I'll take that"
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 28, 2025
📺: @NFLonPrime | #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/RaVHaop7FJ
It was a creative and innovative way to stonewall a play that has boasted a near-100% success rate.
And it also wasn't the first time a team attempted the strategy this season.
In a Week 8 triumph over the Giants, the Eagles ran the Tush Push play in a tie game facing a fourth-and-1 deep in New York territory. Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux punched the ball out of Hurts's hands as he pushed forward through the scrum of Eagles and Giants players, but the officiating crew ruled that the Philadelphia QB's forward progress was stopped before the ball was jarred loose.
Referees ruled that Jalen Hurts' forward progress was stopped before Kayvon Thibodeaux took the ball away from him on the tush push pic.twitter.com/rW4Mx3MNv5
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 26, 2025
Fast forward to Friday's game, and it's possible that Thibodeaux's failed attempt inspired a similar tactic from the Bears. When asked about his fumble against the Bears, Hurts said he was hopeful that the officiating crew would make a similar ruling to the Giants' game.
“I was hoping that [forward progress] was stopped, but it wasn’t,” Hurts said. “It was kind of similar to the New York game except that they just didn’t blow the whistle as soon. That’s not to point the finger at anyone else. I mean, I have to hold onto the ball. It definitely presents itself as an issue and it always has.
“It’s just never gotten us and so today it got us and it’s something that we and I need to tighten up.”
The Eagles will look to tighten up the Tush Push, as well as its whole offensive operation, in a Week 14 contest against the Chargers.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jalen Hurts Admits Inconvenient Truth About Eagles' Tush Push Play.
