The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Packers submit revised proposal to ban tush push play ahead of Spring League Meeting – NFL.com
On the eve of the Spring League Meeting, an alteration has been introduced to one of the most anticipated decisions on a potential rule change. A revised proposal to ban the tush push play has been submitted by the Green Bay Packers, the NFL announced Monday. A discussion and potential vote on the fate of the tush push is expected this week after it was tabled during the Annual League Meeting on April 1. In the updated proposal, pushing or pulling a runner “in any direction at any time” or lifting him to his feet would be banned, which offers a broader stance harkening back to the ruleset from the league’s start through 2005, as noted by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. Therefore, if passed, the tush push would be banned along with any play in which a runner is pushed, pulled or lifted. Hence the proposal is now purposed as banning “assisting the runner.”

Packers revise tush-push proposal to ban all pushing of the runner – PFT
Here’s what will happen if this passes. First, although there may be an early effort to police downfield pushing early in the 2025 season at the direction of 345 Park Avenue, officials will go back to not calling a foul for assisting the runner. (It last happened in the 1991 playoffs, with a flag thrown against Tim Grunhard in a game between the Chiefs and Bills.) Second, the Eagles will still run a largely unstoppable quarterback sneak without the pushing of the tush. But, hey, the powers-that-be (possibly starting with the guys whose autograph is on every football) don’t like the tush push. It doesn’t look like football. It poses a safety risk, despite all evidence to the contrary. So it will be gone. It will create a horrible precedent. The league is coming up with phony reasons for banning a play that someone doesn’t like. And it raises an obvious question: What’s next? The lesson to all teams is simple. Keep on innovating. But beware. If you come up with something so good that it can’t be copied, they’ll find a way to stop you from doing it.

Item (d) would outlaw both double team blocks (since they’re not individual) and play fakes of any sort (since deception is assisting the runner other than by blocking).

To fix this, let me reword the Packers’ proposal less ambiguously for them:

“We are lowly sore losers.” https://t.co/Y1yGnaND27

— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) May 20, 2025

NFL owners to vote on 2 rule changes and 1 important resolution at spring meeting – SB Nation
The Packers’ justification for the rule change is “player safety” and “pace of play.” Banning the play came close to being passed at the winter meetings, but some members of the competition committee voiced concerns that the previous verbiage was too explicit in singling out one or two teams who use the play — and they’re obviously referring to the Eagles and Bills, the two teams who use the play the most. Indications point to this revised wording passing on the second attempt. It will have a profound effect on the Philadelphia offense specifically, and to a lesser extent Buffalo’s. However, there is concern that more and more teams are looking into integrating the ‘Tush Push’ into their playbooks, and this proliferation is something NFL leadership has indicated they want to stop.

With tush push ban vote likely looming Wednesday, the Eagles’ signature play is again in danger – Yahoo! Sports
And the May meetings offers a different environment from the wider-tent March meetings, which invites all head coaches and general managers to participate in rule change debates. The only coaches and general managers likely to be present for this meeting are the handful on the competition committee. One general manager predicted the league will pass a banning of all pushing and pulling of the ball carrier this week. “They’ll do a closed door vote and then the rules will change,” the general manager told Yahoo Sports. “Would be surprised if that didn’t happen.”

Commanders’ Frankie Luvu hopes NFL bans ‘cheapo’ tush push play – ESPN
“My personal opinion? I think they should ban it,” Luvu said in an interview with “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network. “But I know the argument’s going to be about, ‘Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don’t get us in short yardage,’ and whatnot. “But it’s kind of like a cheapo play. … That’s pretty much a scrum in rugby. That’s how I kind of look at it. And we’ve got to have a scrum, too, on the other side. And the scrum is, we have a cadence where we all go at once. It’s not like you hard count and this and that, where now you’re getting us — or myself — jumping over the pile thinking that you’re going to snap the ball. That’s just my own personal opinion, and I’m going to leave it at that.”

Joe Douglas is reportedly returning to the Eagles – BGN
Front office pipeline stocking is especially relevant for the Eagles right now after they lost at least three notable scouting department members this offseason. The Douglas return should help to offset some of what the Eagles lost in those departures. While Douglas obviously failed to thrive as a GM, it’s not like he was the root of all the Jets’ issues. Everyone knows there are ownership issues there and that much is reflected by their longest active NFL playoff appearance drought, which dates back to 2010. Douglas initially earned interest as a GM candidate by having success with both the Baltimore Ravens and then the Eagles. He served as Philly’s vice president of player personnel from 2016-2019 and contributed to the team’s Super Bowl LII success.

10 players the Eagles can least afford to lose to injury – PhillyVoice
2) iDL Jalen Carter. Carter is the Eagles’ best defensive player, and he is quickly becoming one of the best players in the NFL. He faces constant double teams, and yet finds ways to make plays anyway, while allowing his defensive line teammates to capitalize favorable matchups. He make everyone’s job on the defense easier, and was the key to the Eagles’ No. 1 defensive ranking in 2024. 2024 rank: 4.

Nick Gets Paid – Iggles Blitz
It is hard to evaluate Sirianni. If you were starting a new franchise and could have any coach in the NFL, Sirianni wouldn’t be the first call. Andy Reid is the most accomplished coach in the league right now. John Harbaugh is a notch below him. Dan Campbell has done an amazing job with turning the Lions around. Kevin O’Connell has shown the ability to win with a variety of players. Mike Tomlin gets the most out of his players and has had a terrific career. Sean McDermott is great, until he plays Patrick Mahomes in January. Where does Sirianni fit in that group? You can make all kinds of arguments based on various criteria. The argument for him focuses on the stats listed above. Sirianni also really connects with his players. There is real value in that in today’s game. The argument against Sirianni isn’t simple. His winning has involved great coordinators and great players. How would Sirianni fare with mediocre talent? Someone like Mike Vrabel can get a team to overachieve. The other issue with Sirianni is antics. He’s had multiple incidents with yelling at fans. The passion and emotion that make him so good can undermine him at times. Sirianni is trying to tone that down, but you don’t want him to lose his identity.

11 mind-blowing stats that show how successful Nick Sirianni has been – NBCSP
8. Not only is Sirianni the only coach in Eagles history with a winning percentage over .700, he’s the only one with a winning percentage over .600. Other than interim coaches, the next-highest winning percentage in franchise history belongs to Greasy Neale, the one-time Phillies outfielder who coached the Eagles from 1941 through 1950 and had a .594 winning percentage.

Eagles sign Nick Sirianni to multi-year contract extension: 5 thoughts on why now, the Super Bowl-winning coach’s career, what’s next – PHLY
5. Unlike player contracts, coach contracts tend to be awarded based on past performance, not future performance. But Sirianni must continue to grow, just as he’s done throughout the past four seasons. I’d expect his messaging to be focused on how the Eagles are at the same spot as every other team, and the climb begins all over again. My guess is there is a focus on evolution — both with schemes and habits — with the understanding that they were too stagnant after the last Super Bowl appearance. And it’s incumbent upon Sirianni to ensure that he keeps a high-caliber staff and there are no lapses in player development. Pat Riley wrote about the “Disease of Me” — the challenge of dealing with success. Sirianni must guard against it. Lurie is a respected boss, but he’s also a proactive one. He dismissed Doug Pederson three seasons after winning the Super Bowl. He moved on from Andy Reid, who was the most successful coach in franchise history. Sirianni earned this contract, but he’s not a Supreme Court justice. The Eagles must continue to win. Sirianni has proven he can make that happen

2025 NFL Betting: Best bets to make, miss the playoffs by division – PFF
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles -430, Washington Commanders -132, Dallas Cowboys +176, New York Giants +820. Best Bet: Washington Commanders to make the playoffs. Even after the Commanders made the NFC Championship game last season, the betting markets aren’t expecting them to be a shoo-in to make the playoffs in 2025. Part of that muted optimism comes from playing in a division with the defending Super Bowl champions, and the possibility of a sophomore slump from Jayden Daniels after CJ Stroud struggled in his second season last year. But Washington upgraded its No. 2 wide receiver position in a big way by trading for Deebo Samuel, and the team made some key additions along the offensive line in free agency and the draft. While the defense still has some question marks, Daniels and the offense should be explosive enough to lead the Commanders to the postseason again in Year 2.

KJ Henry used NIL to save his father’s life. Signing with the Eagles brought him closer to the nonprofit that helped. – Inquirer
Henry was on the Eagles’ practice squad last season, and it allowed him to reconnect with the Radnor-based Help Hope Live, a nonprofit that helps families with medical costs.

Post-draft review: Looking at how the Cowboys addressed the most concerning areas of their roster – Blogging The Boys
RB1 – STILL UNCERTAIN. The team insists they love Javonte Williams. There is certainly a range of outcomes that have him being an effective grinder in the backfield, especially if he looks closer to what he did in his rookie season before he suffered his own knee injury. But that’s a big if. Even though it took them to the fifth round, the Cowboys did finally address the running back position in the draft with the selection of Jaydon Blue. The good news is that this was a deep running back class, so there was still some decent talent that late in the draft. The combo of Williams and Blue offers something to be hopeful of and could prove effective if the additions they made to the offensive line in both coaching (Klayton Adams) and personnel (Tyler Booker) are true difference makers.

New York Giants favored in just one 2025 game – Big Blue View
Week 6 — Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles. Line: Giants +7. This is the Eagles we’re talking about here. I am not telling anyone to put money on the Giants. […] Week 8 — Giants at Eagles. Line: Giants +10.5. A double-digit spread, and I can’t say I blame Vegas. Again, it is the Eagles and I would not put a dime of my hard-earned cash on the Giants in Philly.