The NFL’s infamous “tush push” remains a point of heated debate heading into the 2025 season – and now Jason Kelce is pushing back on claims that the physical toll of the play contributed to his retirement.
The controversial short-yardage tactic, famously executed to perfection by the Philadelphia Eagles, was once again on the table during the NFL’s annual league meetings in Florida earlier this week. With teams split over whether to outlaw the move, tensions rose when Buffalo Bills co-owner Terry Pegula reportedly cited Kelce‘s retirement as evidence of the play’s risk to player safety.
According to ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler, Pegula responded to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie‘s defense of the play by suggesting Kelce stepped away from the game because of the wear and tear caused by the tush push. While some in the meeting room interpreted Pegula‘s comment as a joke, it came on the heels of a similar claim by Packers CEO Mark Murphy, who led the push to ban the play.
Murphy told reporters that Kelce had previously expressed relief at no longer having to be involved in the physically intense maneuver.
But Kelce quickly fired back online, making it clear his past comments were misunderstood.
“I think the good gentleman from Buffalo appears to have misunderstood my meaning of the word ‘grueling.’ I have never called the play dangerous,” Kelce posted on X (formerly Twitter). “If the NFL wishes to summon me for legitimate thoughts on the tush push under oath, I’d be glad to give my testimony.”
Kelce clarifies stance on the New Heights podcast
On the latest episode of his “New Heights” podcast, Kelce elaborated further on the nature of the play, which has become both a strategic advantage and a lightning rod for criticism.
“I get why some people think that it’s potentially unsafe,” Kelce admitted. “I think optically it looks unsafe. For me personally, I never felt like there’s that much more of a risk of injuring somebody on the play, and I don’t think there’s any statistics to back that up.”
He also suggested that if the NFL wants to debate banning the play, it should focus on fairness – not safety.
“I think the only argument I see for potentially banning it is – is there a competitive advantage? Is it unfair that players can push?”
The tush push, also known as the quarterback sneak with assistance, has divided the league over the last two seasons, with many opposing teams struggling to stop the Eagles’ near-automatic execution of the tactic.
For now, no changes have been made. The proposal to outlaw the play has been tabled until May, as league officials continue to evaluate its future in the sport.
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