The Eagles’ short-yardage “tush push” has been one of the NFL’s most unstoppable plays in recent seasons. It was so good, in fact, that the NFL’s competition committee considered banning it during the offseason.

The tush push survived that existential threat and is expected to remain a part of Philly’s offense in 2024. The question is whether the team can still be as effective without center Jason Kelce.

Kelce retired after the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs by the Buccaneers. He spent his entire 13-year career with Philadelphia, being named All-Pro in six of his final seven seasons.

And while Jalen Hurts is credited as one of the (literal) driving forces behind the tush push’s success, Kelce’s role in it may have been just as important.

Here’s what you need to know about the ‘tush push’ and the new look the brand will have in 2024.

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Eagles ‘Tush Push’ Game Explained

The Eagles’ “tush push” play has emerged as one of the NFL’s best short-yardage plays in recent seasons. First spotted during Philadelphia’s Super Bowl 57 run, the Eagles have continued to use it at a rapid pace throughout the 2023 NFL season, converting 37 of their 40 sneak attempts for first downs.

Philadelphia’s success in staging the play was due to a combination of factors:

1. The Incredible Power of Jalen Hurts
2. Painful when he gets the push from behind
3. The team’s talented, athletic offensive line
4. The wrinkles the Eagles created to unbalance teams.

Hurts’ strength has often dominated the conversation about the game — and for good reason. Few NFL quarterbacks can deadlift a whopping 620 pounds.

But the Eagles’ offensive line was just as important to the play’s success. Their interior line — and center Jason Kelce in particular — was tasked with making a quick first step to create the small lane or crease Hurts needed to get the first down.

Kelce had one of the best first steps in the NFL during his playing days. He wasn’t the heaviest center, but his athleticism allowed him to quickly get out of his stance and push back against bigger defensive tackles.

Philadelphia had a tendency to run its tush push play behind Kelce because he created space by knocking opponents back. Now the Eagles will be forced to test whether they can do the same without Kelce.

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Will ‘Tush Push’ Work Without Jason Kelce?

It’s unclear how much the tush push’s effectiveness will diminish without Kelce — if at all. Hurts is a key factor in the play’s success, so as long as he’s on the field and healthy, the Eagles should be able to generate some movement on quarterback sneaks.

Still, the team’s 92.5 percent conversion rate will only remain intact if Kelce’s replacement Cam Jurgens can generate the same type of forward momentum as his predecessor.

Jurgens started 11 games for Philadelphia in 2023, all at guard. The second-year pro earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 61.4 last season — ranking 31st in the NFL among 79 qualifiers — but he graded better as a run blocker (64.8) than as a pass blocker (51.6). That should bode well for his chances of thriving on the tush push.

It also helps that center is Jurgens’ natural position. He played there during his college years at Nebraska and established himself as a high-end draft prospect at the position. That’s why the Eagles spent a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft, seeing him as an eventual successor to Kelce.

Jurgens also compares favorably to Kelce athletically. The Nebraska product posted a 9.66 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) prior to the 2022 NFL Draft. By comparison, Kelce posted a 9.50 and both were considered small for their positions.

Jurgens’ 10-yard split is especially encouraging, as it shows the Eagles’ new starter has the reaction time and tenacity needed to match Kelce’s speed off the ball.

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Will that translate to the field? Only time will tell if Jurgens can fill the huge shoes left by Kelce’s departure.

A good start would be to ensure that the tush push remains a dominant move.