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Kellen Moore Uses Tush Push in Saints Offense Despite Having Once Voted to Ban It

September 9, 2025

Kellen Moore began his first season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints riding the high of a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. But instead of leaving the Eagles’ infamous “Tush Push” behind, he has brought the play to his new home in New Orleans.

During the second quarter of Sunday’s matchup, the Saints faced a 3rd-and-1. Moore dialed up the Tush Push — the same short-yardage weapon that helped Philadelphia succeed on over 90% of those situations last season. This time, however, it unraveled quickly. Offensive lineman Dillon Radunz was flagged for lining up offside, wiping away what would have been a first down.

The twist is hard to miss: Moore himself was among the 22 coaches and executives who voted in the offseason to ban the Tush Push, calling it unsafe and bad for the league’s image. The proposal ultimately failed, falling just two votes shy of being approved. Now, the very coach who once opposed it is trying to replicate it.

For the Eagles, the play worked so effectively thanks to Jalen Hurts’ power and one of the NFL’s top offensive lines. The Saints, meanwhile, are learning the hard way that copying the formula isn’t so simple. Despite the penalty, New Orleans seemed committed to practicing and eventually perfecting the play.

The reaction was swift. Eagles fans quickly mocked Moore: “He left Philly, left Hurts, but couldn’t leave the Tush Push. Without us, that play is nothing.” Saints supporters were more divided. Some applauded Moore’s willingness to test one of the league’s toughest plays: “Better to fail early than never try. He’ll figure it out.” Others, however, blasted him for hypocrisy: “You voted to ban it and then used it yourself? That’s embarrassing.”

Media outlets also weighed in. ESPN called it “an ironic twist” in Moore’s debut, while CBS analysts suggested the Saints’ offensive line needs refinement before trying to turn the Tush Push into a real weapon.

👉 The takeaway is clear: Moore may have once stood against the play, but when it comes to grinding out tough yards, he’s willing to rely on the very tactic he once wanted erased from the game

Father of Eagles Rookie WR shocks everyone by declaring he will quit his job and live off his son — his words leave the room silent
Philadelphia, PA — October 7, 2025. In the team facility’s press room, a man with work-hardened hands looked straight into the lens, his voice low but resolute:“Why should I keep working when I can live off my son? I just want to say one thing: ‘Thank you, son — from now on your father will live off you.’” He paused for half a beat and smiled. “I’m saying it half-jokingly. I’ve worked night shifts my whole life, some months counting every dollar to pay the power bill. Today, when my son sent 100% of his first month’s salary to our family, it felt like we finally rounded a long, hard bend. ‘Live off my son’ is my way of saying pride, and of setting down old burdens.”Beside him, the rookie nodded gently. Per a plan discussed with his advisors, starting next month 50% of his salary will go home on a regular schedule — the rest will be split among long-term savings, a small fund for his old school, and careful investments. “Careers can be short or long, but gratitude to our parents can’t wait,” he said, just loud enough for the room to hear. Outside, South Philadelphia still wore a trace of morning haze. For a young wide receiver working his way into the Eagles’ rotation, everything moved fast: signing as a UDFA after the Draft, grinding through camp, and then making the 53-man roster right before the season — milestones most players only dare to dream about. That’s why this story goes far beyond a bank transfer. It’s a message about discipline, gratitude, and grit. A team spokesperson put it simply: “We respect any decision that puts family first — as long as the player matches it with professionalism every day.” On the low risers of the press room, a few reporters nodded: it’s rare to see a rookie choose to “speak with his wallet” in his very first month. And then, at the heart of this story — like the moment a name finally gets inked onto the lineup — that rookie is Darius Cooper: a wide receiver out of Tarleton State, undrafted in 2025, who earned a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster. Back at the podium, the father — still wearing a faded ball cap — spoke again, slower this time, clearer:“I’m not bragging. I’ve patched roads, hauled loads; some days my hands cracked and bled. We ate lean so our son could chase football. Today I say ‘live off my son’ because, for the first time, I feel I can breathe. Thank you, son, for not giving up.”Then he turned to his boy, a hint of mischief in his voice: “As for me… tomorrow I’ll still work half a day. The other half, I’ll be home grilling for the neighbors.” A quick hug closed the presser. Shutters clicked. The rookie smiled and tugged up the strap of his practice backpack: “On the field, this is only the beginning,” he said. In Philadelphia — where the standard is relentlessly competitive — a rookie’s anchor doesn’t always start in a thick playbook; sometimes it begins with an envelope sent home and a single sentence that makes a crowded room go quiet.