The debate over the Philadelphia Eagles’ notorious “tush push” has divided NFL coaches, executives and players for years, but quarterback Mac Jones already has his future coaching blueprint mapped out—and he thinks the league is looking at the play all wrong.
Jones recently shared his coaching philosophy on the quarterback sneak during an episode of “In Good Company with Mitch Morse.” While many in the league lobby to outlaw the play simply because one team perfected it, Jones believes the secret isn’t stopping the push, but anticipating what comes next.
Instead of panicking on fourth-and-short, the former first-round pick says he would use the defense’s fear of the sneak against them:
“If I was a coordinator, I’d put in so many plays off of that to mess with people,” he said. “And, like I don’t know, that’s just where my mind goes with that. I’m not worried about stopping that play. I’m worried about stopping the next play.”
This is a nuanced approach to a now-infamous play, but the idea has some merit. While he didn’t flesh out a plan, Jones’ idea has remnants of the iconic naked bootleg plays Peyton Manning perfected, where the entire defense assumes the play is a normal run up the middle before the quarterback pulls the ball and walks into the end zone untouched.
Jones, who backed up Brock Purdy for eight starts in 2025, likely won’t get many opportunities to try out his theory. But as the backup, he could lean the ear of head coach Kyle Shanahan and get the 49ers to try and expand the playbook a bit.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers QB Mac Jones explains how coaches should be using the tush push
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Oliver G., Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
