Jim Nantz Says Tush Push Needs to "Go Away"
Eagles’ fans as well as dynasty fantasy football league managers who currently roster Super Bowl LIX MVP QB Jalen Hurts need to look away from the comments recently made by one of the NFL’s leading voices.
Renowned sports broadcaster Jim Nantz, while appearing on What the Football with Suzy Shuster and Amy Trask, said the NFL needs to ban the “tush push” or what Philadelphia fans call the “brotherly shove”.
“I’m done with the tush push,” said Nantz. “I think it needs to go away. I know that’s a big part of the arsenal for the Eagles. I think it needs to change.”
Jim Nantz called for a ‘tush push’ ban in the wake of the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory: https://t.co/XNNmBFoFZ5 pic.twitter.com/vmCm0hVHal
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 14, 2025
While admitting that the play has been nearly ‘perfected’ by Hurts and the Eagles, the lead CBS NFL play-by-play man simply does not like the play.
“Now, they execute it better than anyone, so Philadelphia fans will be in an outcry, saying, ‘Why are you penalizing us?’ I don’t like the play,” added Nantz. “I just don’t like the play. It feels too automatic. Jalen Hurts doesn’t fumble that snap. He doesn’t. I mean, he’s going to get a yard and a half every single time….But I don’t like the play. It just doesn’t feel like football to me.”
Tush Push Impact on Fantasy Football
The Eagles have appeared in two of the last three Super Bowls and the tush push is why Hurts is one of the top scoring quarterbacks in fantasy football. The two time Pro Bowler, who scored once via the play en route to earning Super Bowl LIX MVP honors, finished as the overall QB7 this past season.
Hurts, who rushed for an NFL-best 14 rushing touchdowns among all quarterbacks this season, is coveted in fantasy leagues due to his rushing touchdown production. In fact, over the last five seasons Hurts has scored the most rushing touchdowns (55) by any quarterback in the regular season, 33 of which have come from the 1-yard line.
Despite a record setting season by Saquon Barkley, fantasy managers who rostered the elite running back were often left crying the blues since the “tush push” vultured many scoring opportunities from Barkley. The 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year scored 13 rushing touchdowns (one less than Hurts), but could have easily scored 20+ if not for the Eagles’ opting to use Hurts via “tush push” in goal line situations.
While Nantz will become the most hated man in Philadelphia (who did boo Santa Claus) having the play banned would be music to the ears of Barkley dynasty owners and those who invest in him in fantasy football next season and beyond.
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Frank Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frank Taddeo primarily performs as On SI’s Senior Fantasy Analyst, providing his significant experience and resources in the sports world.