UCLA Bruins in NFC East Still Face Tush Push

The former UCLA Bruin defenders on the Atlantic Coast will need to buck up as the "tush push" play remains legal.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the tush push play on the goal line against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For former UCLA defenders Osa Odighizuwa, Jay Toia, Kain Medrano and Darius Muasau, they get put into the crossfire of the controversial "tush push" play. Almost on the verge of being granted a reprieve, the NFL Owners shifted from earlier predictions to keep the play alive, rejecting a proposal to ban certain elements of the tush push.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic even went public with reports that there were enough votes in place before the topic was to be addressed to ban the tush push, using new language provided by the Green Bay Packers.

"Hours away from the owners’ vote surrounding the future of the tush push, I’m told both the league’s competition and players’ health and safety committees have voted to ban the play," Russini wrote."Despite the Eagles’ best efforts, the tush push is likely on its way out, sources say.

Then Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie stated that the league and it's owners needed to clean up the process, not ban the play, a play he once called "the safest play in the history of the game."

Lurie added more comments on Wednesday morning.

“Whoever votes to ban this play is taking liability for putting risk on our quarterbacks.”

Lurie then brought in former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, one of the cornerstones of the play's creation and success back in 2022, to speak in support of the tush push. Instead of voting right then and there after Kelce finished, the owners then went into a privileged session to continue discussions on the issue.

Kelce shared during the latest episode of the New Heights podcast what he said in Minnesota.

"If anybody has any questions about the tush push or whether I retired because of the tush push — I'll tell you this right now," Kelce said. "I'll come out of retirement today if you tell me all I gotta do is run 80 tush pushes to play in the NFL. I'll do that gladly. It'll be the easiest job in the world and it'll be like 80-something snaps."

Then, in a shocking turn of events, Russini's initial report that there were the 24 votes needed to ban the tush push ended up not coming true as the resolution failed by a vote of 22-10, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

For the UCLA Bruins who play Philadelphia, the tush push is back on. That's at least eight games involving Bruins.

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