"It's a problem": Stephen A Smith claims Eagles' Tush Push should be eliminated after referee missing calls consecutively

Stephen A Smith claims Eagles
Stephen A Smith claims Eagles' Tush Push should be eliminated after referee missing calls consecutively (Image source - IMAGN)

The Philadelphia Eagles lost for a second consecutive week as the New York Giants defeated them 34-17 on Thursday. The defending Super Bowl winners are in the news again for their controversial tush push play.

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During the second quarter of the game, the Eagles used the tush push on four consecutive plays to get to the end zone. However, on the second play, offensive lineman Tyler Steen made a false start that was missed by the officials.

NFL analyst Stephen A. Smith voiced his concern over the play as the officials repeatedly failed to flag Eagles players. He said in an appearance on "First Take" on Thursday:

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"I never felt that this play should be eliminated until last night watching the Eagles do it on four consecutive plays. I agree with Micah Parsons. I agree with him, because over the last few weeks, since this issue has really, really been elevated in my eyes and publicly by the media.

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"How many times have we seen camera footage showing the Eagles offside on the play, and yet it doesn't get called? See if it's getting called and if it's getting caught, I got it, but if the officials are determining it's damn near impossible to catch you on it. If you're going to say that it's impossible, I think it's a problem."
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Micah Parsons, Dave Portnoy blasts Eagles' tush push play in Giants loss

Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons had called out the play in a X post, writing:

"This is not football!"

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy didn't mince his words on the Eagles' usage of the play, asking for it to be banned.

“This is why tush push needs to be banned. Football is supposed to be entertainment,” Portnoy wrote on X. “This ruins the game. No different than changing pass interference rules for more scoring. Nobody wants to watch this s**t.”

Team owners met at the end of last season to ban the play, however, they fell two votes short in their attempt. With the growing unrest over Philadelphia's usage of the play and the officials missing false starts, owners could come together for another meeting next year.

Philadelphia Eagles Fans! Check out the latest Eagles Schedule and dive into the Philadelphia Eagles Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
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