The New York Giants' failed "Tush Push" during their 24-3 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4 not only resulted in a turnover on downs, but a pair of injuries as well.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that rookie center John Michael Schmitz and tight end Daniel Bellinger suffered shoulder and knee injuries respectively.
Furthermore, Daboll said that the team had only tried the Philadelphia Eagles' specialty during practice.
Brian Daboll says the Giants only ever walked through the Tush Push play, never practiced it live.
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) October 3, 2023
He says both John Michael Schmitz and Daniel Bellinger got injured on that play, too (a play the Giants never practiced live)
The admission by the former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator is a bad look considering the combination of injuries and how risky (if not ill-advised) it was to break out the play during the "Monday Night Football" showdown.
The "Tush Push" or "Brotherly Shove" attempt came on New York's first offensive possession against Seattle.
On fourth-and-1 from the Seahawks' 27-yard line, Giants offense linemen Mark Glowinski and Shane Lemieux were in the backfield flanking running back Matt Breida. Quarterback Daniel Jones took the snap and was pushed forward, but linebacker Bobby Wagner led the Seattle defense in stuffing the attempt.
"We've been successful with it," Daboll said, per ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "They did a good job of stopping it. Got some penetration, built a wall and ended up stopping the play."
What probably makes the miscue even more painful for fans of the G-Men is that the unofficial creators of the play are one of their biggest rivals in the Eagles. For the past year-plus, the other 31 NFL teams have seen Philadelphia continue to master their version of a quarterback sneak and continue to think they "can't keep getting away with it."
The NFL competition committee considered banning the "Tush Push/Brotherly Shove" over the offseason, but ultimately decided to keep it as an option.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!