Broncos' Sean Payton doesn't hold back when asked about the tush push ahead of the Week 5 game against the Philadelphia Eagles

The reigning Super Bowl champions are once again front and center in the national media discourse surrounding the use of the "tush push." And ahead of his matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton made his stance clear on the controversial play ahead of Week 5.

Immediately after the win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Payton expressed that while the result is good, the team is looking forward to the upcoming matchup against the Eagles. But more than that, Payton supports the idea of keeping the contentious play in the game.

"Yeah, listen, I was one that stood up in favor of," Payton said. "The reason I stood up in favor is pretty simple. The powers to be don't want it for aesthetic reasons or competitive reasons, it's hard to officiate, etcetera. I've been involved in those meetings for a long time, which all of a sudden, health and safety was pulled into that, which might be the safest play in football, my (expletive) nose kinda went up."

What is the tush push?

• The offensive line and skill players bunch up under center into a tight formation
• The play begins with a direct snap to the quarterback
• The offensive line immediately pushes forward
• Behind the quarterback, one or two teammates push the signal-caller through the line of scrimmage
• Used only in short-yardage situations, with one or two yards to gain for a first down or touchdown

Payton could get a good look at the tush push in Week 5

According to AOL.com, the tush push accounted for only 0.285% of total plays in 2024 (101 out of 35,000 offensive plays). One of the main arguments against the play is that some argue it puts players at an unnecessary high risk of lower-body or head injuries. Outside of that, officiating has been a problem with the uncontrolled scrums at the line of scrimmage.