Broncos' Payton plans to steal Eagles' QB push play
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he'll take advantage of pushing the quarterback on sneak plays next season if the NFL doesn't change the rule.
"I was talking to Sean Payton during Sunday's game, and he said, 'We're going to do this every time next season if they don't take it out,'" Fox Sports rules analyst Dean Blandino told Paul Domowitch of The 33rd Team.
The Philadelphia Eagles ran the "Tush Push" to near perfection this season, as Jalen Hurts converted a first down on 36 of 40 quarterback sneaks using the strategy. The NFL made it legal to push a ball carrier in 2005.
"I think the league is going to look at this, and I'd be shocked if they don't make a change," Blandino added.
The competition committee is set to meet in two weeks at the NFL Scouting Combine, and pushing a ball carrier will be one of the rule changes they'll look at. They can either keep the rule as is, ban it altogether, or outlaw it on quarterback sneaks.
Other NFL players have spoken out about the Eagles' use of the push quarterback sneak.
"It's illegal; they're never set. If you watch, the O-linemen are never set," Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said, according to LeeAnn Lowman of Steeler Nation.
He added: "I'm triggered. Yes, it should be changed. They are never given time, they hurry up to the ball, and no one is ever set. ... I'm just confused why they switched the rule. It used to be a penalty to push your guy forward. Nobody really noticed until the Eagles were like, 'oh, this is unstoppable.'"
Hurts had six quarterback sneak first downs in the Super Bowl.