Kellen Moore Angers Eagles HC Nick Sirianni by Voting to Ban Tush Push

Palm Beach, FL – March 31, 2025, 01:52 AM PDT
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has drawn the ire of Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni after voting to ban the “Tush Push” at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, sources told ESPN on Monday. The controversial short-yardage play, a signature of the Eagles’ success, was outlawed after a 24-8 vote, with Moore’s decision to side with the ban sparking outrage from his former boss.

Sirianni, who led the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, had publicly demanded support from Moore, along with ex-Eagles assistants Jonathan Gannon and Shane Steichen, to preserve the play. “Kellen better vote for it—he’s in that head coach position because of that play,” Sirianni said with a grin to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on March 30. The Tush Push, which helped the Eagles convert 39 of 48 attempts into first downs or touchdowns in 2024, was a key factor in Moore’s success as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator before he joined the Saints in February

Moore’s vote to ban the play, despite Sirianni’s plea, has left the Eagles coach feeling betrayed. “It’s a slap in the face,” a source close to Sirianni told ESPN. “Nick trusted Kellen to have his back after everything they achieved together.” Eagles fans on X echoed the sentiment, with one posting, “Moore owes his Saints job to the Tush Push—how could he vote to ban it?!” (@EaglesNation). Another wrote, “Kellen just burned a bridge with Sirianni—disloyal!” (@PhillyFanatic).

The ban ends a play that defined the Eagles’ dominance in short-yardage situations, leaving Sirianni to adapt as the team aims for another Super Bowl run in 2025. Meanwhile, Moore’s decision has reignited tensions between the two coaches.