Physics could give the Eagles an edge on Super Bowl Sunday with the ‘tush push.’ Here’s how

Both the Eagles and Chiefs boast elite talent, but the Birds have perfected a game-changing play. Crucial for securing first downs, the maneuver is rooted in physics.

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is seen just before a tush push, or brotherly shove

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) lines up for the goal line Tush Push play during the NFL championship playoff football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Super Bowl Sunday is nearly here, and all eyes are on the highly anticipated rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.

With both teams stacked with powerhouse talent, including elite quarterbacks and hard-hitting defenses, this showdown is expected to be as intense as their last face-off. But what sets the Eagles apart isn’t just their skill — it’s their mastery of a controversial yet effective play: the “tush push.”

This strategic maneuver has been a game-changer for the Birds, helping them secure crucial first downs and dominate short-yardage situations.

Dan Imaizumi, a physics teacher at Harriton High School in Lower Merion, joined WHYY “Morning Edition” host Jennifer Lynn to explain why this technique works so well for the Eagles, what makes it nearly unstoppable and how science plays a key role in their success.

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Jennifer Lynn: The Philadelphia Eagles have been refining their moves heading into this Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans. Both teams are stacked with powerful, skilled players, including confident quarterbacks, but what the Eagles have that no other team in the NFL possesses is a high-level command of a maneuver known as the “tush push.”

If you’ve watched the Eagles play in recent years, you’ve seen this through the eyes of our guests. This morning, we will dissect it. I bring in Eagles fan Dan Imaizumi, a physics teacher at Harriton High School in Lower Merion, to help me do this. Hi, Dan.

Dan Imaizumi: Hi.

JL: The “tush push” is the pushing of a quarterback — in this case, Jalen Hurts — to be exact, through or over the other team’s defensive line. It has a high success rate in moving the ball just a couple of yards when the Eagles need a vital first-down possession or a score. Now, to the naked eye, what does this tush push look like?

DI: You’ve described it perfectly. To me, it looks like two very close, tightly wound opposing teams of super strong men trying to move the ball just inches — sometimes a little bit more, sometimes a little bit less.

JL: Well, let’s break that down. Bring on some more details of the physics behind this.

DI: A great analogy would be pushing a heavy box along the floor. In that case, you’d be exerting a force against the ground with your feet, and the ground would be pushing against you — by Newton’s third law, the action-reaction law. That’s why Jalen’s legs need to be powerful for the “tush push” to succeed.

JL: They need to be firmly grounded, as you just described. And then?

DI: Well, according to the action-reaction law, you can’t move unless something is moving you. If you were in outer space with powerful legs but nothing to push against, nothing would push back against you to create motion. So, even though the ground has no character or voice, it is essentially what’s pushing you forward.

Philadelphia Eagle fans reenact the "Tush Push"
A group of Philadelphia Eagle fans reenact the “Tush Push” during the Eagles Send Off Party for Super Bowl LIX, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

JL: OK. Let’s get back to this box analogy.

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DI: Sure. While you’re pushing the box — let’s say this time with your hands close to your chest — you conserve energy by using just your body, lower back and legs, without engaging a bench-press action. This means you’re pushing the box primarily with your upper body. Not to mention, this technique helps Jalen protect the football if both his arms are wrapped securely around it.

Meanwhile, as you’re pushing the box, a friend comes along to push your tush. And by the way, if done correctly, this is the most efficient location for the push. This friend is exerting additional force on you, adding to the force you’re already applying to the box. If a second friend pushes from the other side, well, now you’ve got three times the force working together.

JL: Dan, why are the Eagles so good at this?

DI: One reason the Eagles are so effective is that they only need a little bit of yardage. They just have to be slightly stronger than the opposing team — which, from what I know, they are. And that’s crucial. Jalen Hurts has at least as much, if not more, leg power than the average defensive lineman. Back in 2019, you could see him squatting 600 pounds when he played for the [Oklahoma] Sooners.

JL: Oh my gosh. I had never thought about that. I didn’t know Hurts was so strong. Any more physics behind this?

DI: Yeah! Just a little bit more. They’re also really good at staying low to the ground, which is a great technique. This makes it extremely difficult for defenders to lift them. If the defenders do manage to lift them, it reduces their ability to push against the ground, weakening the force they exert. Remember, pushing against the ground is crucial. You’ll see this technique in sumo wrestling, where lifting your opponent takes away their leg power and prevents them from pushing back.

JL: I actually get it. I really get it.

DI: Fun fact — at one point in the recent past, the Eagles had rugby specialist Richie Gray as an advisor. He helped them refine their timing and technique for these rugby-like plays, specifically for short-yardage situations. The Eagles have mastered working together as a team, which is why they succeed at the tush push at a 90% rate.

JL: And there you have it — the physics of the tush push. Thank you, Dan.

DI: Thank you!

JL: Dan Imaizumi teaches physics at Harriton High School in Lower Merion. Now, he’s an expert on the “tush push,” apparently. Thanks for these special insights.

DI: Go Birds!

JL: Go Birds.

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