The Philadelphia Eagles had the Washington Commanders on skates in an incredible goal line sequence that exposed a little-known NFL rule.
The Commanders were desperate for a goal line stop early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. With the ball placed at the Washington 1-yard line, Commanders defensive linemen were desperate to try to jump the snap count to get a stuff. That led to a ridiculous sequence in which the Commanders were called for encroachment on three consecutive plays, not counting one previous defensive offside.
At one point, Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu actually launched himself over both the Commanders’ defensive line and Philadelphia’s offensive line to try for the stuff, but did not time it properly.
We think he might have jumped early 😂 pic.twitter.com/wK3LGKklBp
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 26, 2025
The penalties became so farcical that the officiating crew was forced to take action. At one point, referee Shawn Hochuli announced that Commanders players could be subjected to a personal foul if they intentionally committed an encroachment foul. After yet another flag on the next play, Hochuli announced that the referees had the right to award the Eagles a touchdown if the penalties continued.
“Washington has been advised that at some point, the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again,” Hochuli announced.
well that's new https://t.co/6jvZmJOsI6 pic.twitter.com/JU06qeGTXB
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2025
Hochuli is correct here, though few would have known the rule even exists. Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4 of the NFL rules state that a score can be awarded to the offensive team if a defense commits “successive or repeated fouls to prevent a score.” Officials are instructed to issue a warning before going that far, which Hochuli did here.
I’d never heard of a rule that allowed referees to award a team a score as was suggested by the official in the Commanders-Eagles game, but sure enough, here it is. Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4. pic.twitter.com/wmDHe5s2d2
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 26, 2025
Ultimately, things did not come to that, as the Eagles punched it in on the next play after Hochuli’s announcement.
The tush push has proven so difficult to stop that teams sometimes take desperate measures to jump it. The Commanders took that strategy to its logical conclusion and beyond here, though it did not help them at all. Still, one has to wonder if the league will revisit the legality of the play this offseason.
