Lengthy reside the Tush Push. At the least for one more season. Saved by an in depth vote on the league’s proprietor conferences Wednesday, the play stays authorized in 2026. The Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo believes the Pittsburgh Steelers should discover a approach to make the most of the play for so long as it’s allowed.
Doubling down on a suggestion he made shortly after the decision to ban the play failed, Fittipaldo thinks Pittsburgh ought to get inventive with who does the tushin’ and who does the pushin’.
“You gotta train someone,” Fittipaldo advised 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller Thursday. “I imply, you bought 4 months to do it. Train Darnell Washington how one can take a snap from heart and put two massive guys behind him and push ’em ahead. Give it to Ben, let Ben Skowronek take a snap. I’m certain there are guys on that soccer group who’ve been quarterbacks or who’ve that of their arsenal. So I believe the Steelers ought to do it.”
With Aaron Rodgers the attainable/possible Steelers’ quarterback, he received’t be an choice for these rugby-like scrums. Not at 41 years previous and two years faraway from an Achilles tear whereas battling a knee damage final season. Mason Rudolph in all probability received’t be the reply, both. As a substitute, Fittipaldo believes a non-quarterback can deal with these duties.
Uncommon because it sounds, it’s an concept groups have dabbled with. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs as soon as used Blake Bell, a university quarterback at Oklahoma, for a profitable quarterback sneak earlier than the Tush Push grew to become an concept. In 2022, backup tight finish Noah Grey snapped the ball and burrowed over the purpose line for a landing. Washington weighs apparently properly 300 over kilos, profiling like an offensive lineman extra so than a decent finish.
Pittsburgh’s short-yardage woes have been one in all many offensive failures final season. The group completed twenty ninth changing third/fourth down and 1-2 yards to go and was comically dangerous in some moments. Justin Fields was often used as a situational runner on choice performs as an alternative of sneaks however had points with constantly taking snaps underneath heart.
“That’s what I hate, hate concerning the NFL,” Fittipaldo mentioned. “You bought guys coming into the league who can’t take snaps from heart.”
Most faculty offenses ask quarterbacks to take little or no snaps underneath heart. It’s an inexpensive critique, although not almost the problem it was 15 years in the past contemplating NFL offenses are in shotgun extra usually than underneath heart. Even underneath the run-heavy Arthur Smith, the Steelers have been in shotgun 58.2 % of the time final 12 months.
If Fittipaldo thinks it’s onerous to reliably belief a younger quarterback working underneath heart, think about how a lot harder it’ll be for a decent finish or extensive receiver. Utilizing somebody like Washington additionally eliminates a possible big-body pusher from behind.
It’s to not say Pittsburgh can’t get inventive and consider all choices. However the concept of “put an enormous man underneath heart” has the identical logical pitfalls as “play the fats man at goalie.” Mass doesn’t at all times equal success. Even when the Tush Push is applied in moments, the Steelers may have extra work to do with the intention to remedy their short-yardage issues.
