Spagnuolo Says Chiefs Had Wrinkles To Stop Tush Push in Super Bowl

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says he'll keep his playcalls under wraps until his next chance to defend it, as early as the Eagles' visit to Arrowhead in 2025.

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

Seventeen days.

That’s how long Steve Spagnuolo took before he finally mustered the energy to review film of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss.

“I just couldn’t. It just stung,” the Kansas City defensive coordinator said this week on the Anthony Gargano Show. “I watched bits and pieces but I didn’t sit down and analyze it until I was at the combine.”

When he analyzed it, he saw his unit shut down Saquon Barkley. Kansas City held Barkley to 57 yards, his fewest on the ground in 15 games, and 2.3 yards per carry, his lowest total in an Eagles uniform. Spagnuolo also saw Jalen Hurts capitalize on his Barkley-neutralizing game plan. The Eagles’ quarterback ran for 72 yards, including a tush-push touchdown.

Spagnolo wouldn’t take a stand on abolishing the play, and said the Chiefs had a few unique wrinkles to defend it but wouldn’t share. Those wrinkles might even change as the team adds new personnel this offseason.

Other than the first Eagles touchdown, the Super Bowl didn’t present another opportunity to unveil those schemes. But Spagnuolo knows he’ll see it more and more, not just from Josh Allen. That’s why he’s spoken to rugby coaches to collect information.

“I don't know if getting however many pounds behind somebody and pushing is good for football or not,” Spagnuolo said. “I'll let the competition committee decide that, but listen … if it's in football, you got to find a way to defend it.”

Opponents will need to defend it now after the Eagles added 274-pound fullback AJ Dillon to their backfield this week. Those Philadelphia opponents include a Super Bowl rematch with Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, and the Green Bay Packers – Dillon’s former team – at Lambeau Field.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed at the combine that his team has proposed a rule to ban the Tush Push. Green Bay isn’t the first team to do so, and Spagnuolo is moving forward with the assumption he’ll see it again – if not from Philadelphia then from Buffalo and Allen, the Chargers and Justin Herbert or other teams.

Even the Ravens unveiled their version of it last season, an Edgar Allen Poesh.

Philadelphia also runs the play in an up-tempo fashion, usually without a huddle. That makes substituting difficult, Spagnuolo said. Plus, any scheme to defend it has to account for the two or three audibles Hurts can call out of it, such as a jet sweep.

“It's a great conversation to have,” Spagnuolo said. “If they keep it in football, then we're just going to have to keep trying to find ways to stop it.”

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