The Philadelphia Eagles have become synonymous for the tush push over the past several seasons, and the play’s addition to the team’s offensive playbook can be credited to Richie Gray, according to a recent Sports in America podcast episode for WHYY.
The internationally known former rugby coach from Scotland stayed up late on the night of Super Bowl LIX to watch the Eagles execute the play against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“That gives me as much of a buzz as anything else, you know? To see that play and the way that it evolved, and how difficult it was to stop, and the difference it made to the Eagles.” Gray said.
Like clockwork, the Birds used the tush push to score their first points of the Super Bowl.
In addition to coaching rugby, Gray has also made a career out of consulting NFL teams on how to sharpen their defensive skills and make on-field collisions safer.
In 2023, the Eagles hired Gray to help them improve their defensive plays.
Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland wanted to get Gray’s insight on how he’d aim to stop a particular offensive play: the tush push.
Thanks to Gray’s influence, the push has become among the NFL’s most unstoppable.
Read more Richie Gray and the role he played in helping the tush push become engrained into the Eagles’ playbook and learn which all-star Eagles player (Hint; his brother is dating Taylor Swift!) outed him at WHYY.
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The Eagles turned a simple QB sneak into the most unstoppable play in NFL history, thanks in part to a Scottish rugby coach. This video breaks down why the “tush push” works, how the technique mirrors a rugby scrum, the rare ways defenses have beaten it, and the sneaky counters Philly uses to stay one step ahead.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on PHILADELPHIA Today in December 2025.
