Will 'tush push' work without Jason Kelce? Why center Cam Jurgens is key for Eagles success in 2024

The Eagles' short-yardage "Tush Push" has been one of the NFL's most unstoppable plays over the past couple of seasons. In fact, it was so good that the NFL's competition committee weighed banning it during the offseason.

The tush push survived that existential threat and figures to remain part of Philly's offense in 2024. The only question is whether it will continue to be highly 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 and was named an All-Pro in six of his past seven seasons.

And while Jalen Hurts has been identified as one of the (literal) driving forces behind the tush push's success, Kelce's role in it may have been equally important.

Here's what to know about the tush push and the new look it will sport in 2024.

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Eagles 'Tush Push' play, explained

The Eagles' "tush push" play has emerged as one of the NFL's best short-yardage plays over the past couple of seasons. It first was noted during Philadelphia's Super Bowl 57 run but the Eagles continued to use it at a high rate during the 2023 NFL season when they converted 37 of their 40 sneak attempts for first downs.

Philadelphia's success running the play stemmed from a perfect storm of factors :

1. Jalen Hurts' incredible strength
2. Hurts receiving the push from behind
3. The team's talented, athletic offensive line
4. The wrinkles the Eagles added to keep teams off-balance.

Hurts' strength has often dominated the conversation surrounding the play — and with good reason. Few NFL quarterbacks can deadlift a whopping 620 pounds.

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

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

Philadelphia tended to run its tush push play behind Kelce because he created space by blasting opposing tacklers back. Now, the Eagles will be forced to test if they can do the same without Kelce.

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Will the 'Tush Push' work without Jason Kelce?

It isn't clear how much the tush push's efficacy will wain without Kelce — if it does at all. Hurts plays a significant role in the play's success, so as long as he is on the field and healthy, the Eagles should generate some movement on quarterback sneaks.

Even so, 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 posted a Pro Football Focus grade of 61.4 last season — ranked 31st in the NFL among 79 qualifiers — but he graded better as a run blocker (64.8) than a pass blocker (51.6). That should bode well for his chances of performing well on the tush push.

It will also help that center is Jurgens' natural position. He played there during his college days 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. They viewed him as an eventual successor to Kelce.

Jurgens compares favorably athletically to Kelce, as well. The Nebraska product posted a 9.66 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Comparatively, Kelce posted a 9.50, and both were viewed as small for their positions.

Jurgens' 10-yard split is particularly encouraging, as it shows that the Eagles' new starter has the reaction time and burst needed to match Kelce's quickness off the ball.

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

Doing so by ensuring the tush push remains a dominant play would be a great place to start.