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Commanders star hell-bent on banning the 'Tush Push' amid growing debate

Originally posted on Inside the Iggles | By Gourab Saha | Last updated May 30, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu knows the feeling. It’s that sinking sensation every athlete dreads. Think of Nolan Ryan winding up, only to watch his fastball crushed into the bleachers. Or a golfer lining up a crucial putt at Augusta, watching it lip out. Pure frustration. Luvu faced his own version last January, a moment replaying in his mind like a broken record. The stakes couldn't have been higher, the pressure immense. He saw the formation, heard the crowd roar, knew exactly what was coming. Yet, stopping it felt like trying to hold back the tide with bare hands. What do you do when the playbook seems powerless?

This linebacker’s personal torment unfolded on football’s biggest stage. Picture the NFC Championship, the bright lights, the season hanging by a thread. Across the line, the Philadelphia Eagles lined up that play. The one that’s become their signature, their unstoppable force. Frankie Luvu, wired and ready, saw the snap coming.

He reacted, desperate to make the play, to be the hero. But the timing… the timing was everything. And suddenly, the flags flew. Not once. Not twice. It became a sequence etched in playoff infamy, a defender caught in a tactical nightmare. What weapon could possibly make a pro linebacker look so helpless?

NFL’s Cold War

The answer, of course, is the Eagles' infamous "Tush Push." And Luvu has a very clear solution: ban it. Full stop. Speaking bluntly on Good Morning Football earlier this month, the Commanders' linebacker didn't mince words. "Man (pause), my personal opinion? I think they should ban it," Luvu declared. His May 28 comments?

The opinion hasn't changed a bit. In fact, he has doubled down.

"I'm just going to stand on, man, we just got to stop it," Luvu said. "I said what I said, but I just feel like at this point, tush push, whatever, we just gotta stop it. I'm gonna stick to that."

He acknowledged the counterargument earlier - "I know the argument’s going to be about, ‘Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don’t get us in short yardage,’ and whatnot." His comparison? "It's pretty much a scrum in rugby."

Frankie Luvu on the "Tush Push" sticking around... #Commanders #Eagles pic.twitter.com/07FeA2EgsP
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 28, 2025

Luvu speaks from painful experience. That January sequence against the Eagles was brutal. Trying desperately to time the snap to leap the pile and stop Jalen Hurts, Luvu jumped early. Again. And again. Three encroachment penalties in a row near the goal line. Referee Shawn Hochuli finally issued a stark warning: one more jump, and the Eagles get an automatic touchdown. Luvu and the Commanders were helpless pawns against Philly's rugby-inspired machine.

His "cheat code" label resonates with many defenders. The play’s near-automatic success—especially for Philly—feels unfair. It bypasses traditional line play and defensive reads. Teams stack behind Hurts, creating a human battering ram. Luvu argued the cadence eliminates defensive anticipation. It forces defenders into risky, penalty-prone guesses. The result? Frustration like Luvu's.

Luvu's Rugby Grudge Match & The Eagles' Gamble

The NFL nearly handed Luvu his wish. Fueled partly by Green Bay's proposal, a vote to ban the Tush Push occurred this spring. It fell agonizingly short, needing 24 votes but only getting 22. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie swiftly countered safety concerns: "There's no data that shows it isn't a very safe play." The Eagles celebrated hard. Their social media erupted with a 26-minute Tush Push highlight reel and a defiant "Push On" graphic. Victory tasted sweet.

However, this victory lap might prove costly. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell signaled the league isn't done. "We’ll see how it plays out this season,” he stated, directing the competition committee to keep studying it.

The Eagles’ very public gloating turned the play into a symbol of defiance. League insiders whisper the NFL orchestrated the Packers' proposal initially. Finding two more votes next year, perhaps through subtle pressure, seems plausible. Did Philly's party ignite the next battle?

For the Eagles, the Tush Push is more than a play; it’s a psychological edge and near-guaranteed yardage. Removing it forces a major strategic shift. Jalen Hurts’ mastery of the sneak is central to their short-yardage identity.

Without it, do they trust traditional runs more? Does Saquon Barkley’s role expand? Opponents like Luvu certainly hope its days are numbered.

"I said what I said," Luvu conceded at OTAs, "I just feel like at this point, tush push, whatever, we just gotta stop it. I'm gonna stick to that." His determination hasn't faded.

The debate boils down to football's soul. Is the Tush Push clever innovation or a distortion of the game? Rich McKay, NFL competition committee chair, questioned its "aesthetics" and traditional fit. Luvu sees only a rugby scrum masquerading as football. The Eagles see pure, effective execution. As the proverb warns, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

This article first appeared on Inside the Iggles and was syndicated with permission.

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