SPORTS
The Pushback on the Push Play
USA, IndianapolisThu May 22 2025
The NFL is a league of strategies and tactics. One of the most controversial plays in recent times is the tush push. This play has sparked debates and even led to a vote among teams. Two coaches, Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon, find themselves in an interesting spot. They are now leading the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. Both of these teams voted to ban the tush push. This is a play that helped them reach the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Steichen and Gannon were not always the head coaches of these teams. They were part of the Eagles' coaching staff. Steichen was the offensive coordinator, and Gannon was the defensive coordinator. They left the Eagles after the 2022 season to take on their current roles. Their former boss, Nick Sirianni, had some fun with the situation. He joked that he expected them to vote against banning the play. He said, "Gannon, Steichen, and Moore better vote for it. They are in the position right now because of that play. "He was referring to the tush push. Sirianni was confident that he had their votes, along with the Eagles' vote.
However, things did not go as Sirianni expected. Steichen and Gannon's teams voted to ban the play. This means that they did not have the final say in their teams' decisions. It will be up to them to explain why they couldn't sway the vote. The NFL might revisit the issue next year. If the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl again, more coordinators could become head coaches. This could include Kevin Patullo and Vic Fangio, the current offensive and defensive coordinators for the Eagles. They might face a similar situation as Steichen and Gannon.
The tush push is a play that has divided the NFL. Some teams love it, while others want to see it gone. It is a play that can be very effective, but it can also be controversial. The vote to ban it shows that there is a lot of debate surrounding it. Steichen and Gannon are in a unique position. They benefited from the play, but now they are leading teams that want to see it banned. It will be interesting to see how they handle this situation. The NFL is always changing, and the tush push is just one example of that. It is a play that has sparked a lot of discussion, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the future.
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questions
Will Nick Sirianni send Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon a bill for all the 'tush push' therapy sessions he had to attend?
How might the ban on the tush push affect the strategies of other teams in the league?
What are the ethical considerations in banning a play that has been successful for certain teams?