During the Philadelphia Eagles’ dominant win over the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship, a strange moment occurred on the goal line in the second half. Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu attempted to stop a “tush push” by jumping over the offensive line, but he was repeatedly called for encroachment. The referee initially warned Luvu that if he continued to jump over the line without the ball being snapped, he would award a score.
This unusual rule, found in the NFL Rulebook as Rule 12, Section 3, Article 4, is designed to prevent palpably unfair acts that interfere with play. The referee has the discretion to award a score in extreme cases, even if the opposing team didn’t initially snap the ball.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was surprised by the warning, asking if the referee meant to say they could award a touchdown. Philadelphia Eagles defenders, including Darius Slay and Cooper DeJean, also had never heard of the rule before.
The incident ultimately worked in the Eagles’ favor, as Jalen Hurts eventually scored a touchdown on a tush push. Despite the unusual situation, the referees felt Luvu’s repeated jumping over the line was too much given the circumstances, and Hurts continued to punish the Commanders in their 55-23 rout.
