It’s the most successful and the most maddening play in professional football right now: the tush push. If you’re a football fan, you have probably seen the play in action — the one where the Philadelphia Eagles seem to push their quarterback Jalen Hurts over the line to gain a first down, or to score. But you might not know its surprising backstory. In this episode, we bring you the man who helped create this controversial play: Richie Gray, a former rugby coach from a small town in Scotland. Richie tells us how he made his way into the NFL, what he thinks about the tush push controversy, and what makes the play so unstoppable.

Show Notes

1. The Tush Push Explained with Kyle Brandt & Dr Neil DeGrasse Tyson | NFL
2. Inside Packers-Eagles battle over banning the tush push | ESPN
3. How a Scottish Rugby Lifer is Changing the Way NFL Teams Tackle | Sports Illustrated
4. Jason Defends the Push, Travis’ Record-Breaking Connection and Coach Prime Makes History | New Heights Podcast
5. 26 Minutes of the Tush Push | Philadelphia Eagles

Show Credits

Executive Producer: Tom Grahsler

Senior Producer: Michael Olcott

Producer: Michaela Winberg

Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa

Engineer: Mike Villers

Tile Art: Bea Walling

Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.