- The NFL acknowledged in a training video that the Philadelphia Eagles should have been penalized for a false start on a ‘tush push’ play against the KC Chiefs, according to The Washington Post.
- NFL vice president of officiating training and development Ramon George stated that officials need to be ‘as tight as we can be’ on short-yardage plays.
- The training video also highlighted officiating mistakes on a similar play attempted by the New Orleans Saints.
In a video distributed to all 32 head coaches and general managers this week, the NFL focused on pre-snap infractions.
And according to the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Eagles should have been penalized at least once during their multiple ‘tush push’ attempts in a Super Bowl rematch victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-17, last Sunday.
The Post first reported the contents of the training tape, which is a weekly analyzing of the most-recent games. This one showed Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts converting a third-and-1 play with 5:29 left in the game.
Online sleuths noted that it appeared guards Tyler Steen and Landon Dickerson moved before center Cameron Jurgens, who may have been lined up offsides, snapped the ball. NFL vice president of officiating training and development Ramon George said in the video that Steen moved early, although the Eagles were not penalized on the play.
“Anytime we have this situation we’re in short yardage, we know we want to make sure that we officiate these plays — the offensive team has to be perfect in every aspect,” George said in the video, according to the Post. “We want to officiate it tight. We want to be black and white and be as tight as we can be when we get into this situation where teams are in the bunch position and we have to officiate them being onsides, movement early.
‘Prior to the snap, looks like we have movement by the right guard. We also have movement coming across from the defensive side. This is a very hard play to officiate. I get it.”
Indeed, during the FOX broadcast, rules analyst Dean Blandino said he was ‘done’ with the tush push because of the degree of difficulty required to officiate it consistenly.
The video also showed the New Orleans Saints’ attempt to run their version of the play, with NFL officiating rules analyst saying formations have to be legal and that the Saints lined up with multiple players offside.
The play was nearly banned this offseason during the May owners’ meetings in Minnesota, but fell two votes shy of the required 24 to prohibit it.
