The Buffalo Bills are heading to the AFC Divisional round in large part because of a play their team wanted banned before the season.
The Bills utilized the tush push on multiple occasions during their 27-24 Wild Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. on Sunday. Most prominently, quarterback Josh Allen managed to drag the pile for ten yards on 4th and inches with just over a minute left, setting Buffalo up for the game-winning touchdown.
JOSH ALLEN TUSH PUSHES FOR 10 YARDS
— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026
BUFvsJAX on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/euKB0arG2m
The irony was not lost on those who remember how the Bills felt about the tush push when there was discussion about banning it last offseason. At the time, Bills coach Sean McDermott said he was concerned about “health and safety of the players.”
“That’s not a healthy posture, to me. Then, when you add force to that posture, that’s concerning for me as to the health and safety of the players,” McDermott said at the time.
Incredible by Josh Allen and the Bills offense on the 4th down tush push. "You're not touching my baby." – Tony Romo.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 11, 2026
Also a quick reminder, Sean McDermott on the tush push before this season:
“My biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost. It’s…
Many fans, particularly Philadelphia Eagles supporters, were quick to label McDermott a hypocrite.
Reminder Sean McDermott campaigned to ban the tush push this offseason citing player safety and then ran it at the highest rate in the NFL this year. pic.twitter.com/lq8eYemkJz
— Shane Haff (@ShaneHaffNFL) January 11, 2026
Sean McDermott saying the Tush Push is an unsafe play but continuing to run it with Josh Allen will never get old
— Bill Colarulo (@BillColarulo) January 11, 2026
I don’t ever want to hear Sean McDermott complain about the tush push again.
— Patrick (@PhillyPMC) January 11, 2026
Like most teams, the Bills will keep using the play as long as it isn’t banned, no matter what they think of it. McDermott being concerned about health and safety didn’t age well, though, given how often he ran it Sunday. A lot of other people, including some rival coaches, were not buying that argument either.
Sunday’s win was the first playoff road victory of McDermott’s career. He’s probably fine being labeled a hypocrite as long as the winning continues.
