Despite the tush push surviving a vote from ownership in order to remain a legal play in the 2025 NFL season, it's already stirred up plenty of controversy through the first four weeks of the new campaign.
Not everyone is opposed to the assisted quarterback sneak that's been perfected by the Eagles, however.
Broncos coach Sean Payton has been an avid supporter of the play. He stood up for the controversial play during the offseason and has continued to do so since. When asked about the tush push on Tuesday, Payton offered some criticism for those who were trying to abolish the play this summer.
One of the main concerns about the tush push was to do with player safety. Payton scoffed at that notion, suggesting he didn't think player safety was actually a concern from owners. Payton went as far as to say his "bulls–– nose kind of went up" when that was a sticking point brought up in an effort to outlaw the play.
"It might be the safest play in football," Payton said, via Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
The tush push came back under fire after replays showed evidence that Philadelphia's offensive line was frequently jumping early without being flagged for a false start. Fans weren't convinced that the play was being policed properly, though officials have reportedly been instructed to put a stronger emphasis on ensuring the offensive line doesn't move until the ball has been snapped. Even rules analyst Dean Blandino couldn't mask his frustration with the play.
Unlike many, Payton doesn't have an issue with the play, and he wasn't afraid to cast doubt upon those who insisted they were trying to abolish it for health and safety purposes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sean Payton Says He Supports the Tush Push Play Because of His ‘B------- Nose'.
