From high-speed cameras to pressure-mapping insoles, a biomechanics lab is breaking down the Eagles' most talked-about short-yardage play — and what it could mean for training and injuries. 

The Philadelphia Eagles' tush push has become a near-automatic short-yardage converter and a lightning rod across the NFL. Now, hundreds of miles from Lincoln Financial Field, University of Rochester students are quantifying the play frame-by-frame to understand why it works and how to make it safer.

In a biomechanics lab typically used to analyze running and jumping, students recently set up high-speed cameras and pressure-sensing insoles to recreate the motion behind the tush push, the Eagles' heavily debated quarterback sneak.

Ally March, a South Jersey native and lifelong Eagles fan, lit up when the assignment landed in her lap.

"I did say 'Go Birds' on the hot mic—but they cut it out," March joked during our visit.

She explains that the play can feature multiple formations and personnel packages: "You often see Saquon [Barkley] back there. He can squat upwards of 600 pounds. That's different than his usual running back role. It changes what the biomechanics look like."

Leading the project is professor Cherice Hill, who says the lab's tools help translate game action into measurable numbers. 

"These insoles give us a center-of-pressure trace and estimated load," Hill said. "From a lower-body perspective, the tush push resembles a powerful squat or other quarterback sneaks. Our lab and others are looking at how to create the best possible training to prevent injuries in the future."

What they're measuring:

• Joint motion and timing: hip, knee, and ankle angles through the push
• Force and pressure distribution: how load shifts across each foot during the surge
• Power output: how lower-body drive and assist from teammates combine
• Technique variables: stance width, pad level, and push direction

The Eagles have turned the play into a signature, sparking league-wide debate on both fairness and safety. With more teams imitating the strategy, researchers say evidence-based training and technique could reduce risk, especially for linemen and quarterbacks taking repeated low-pad-level contact.

The fan factor

Even in Bills country, March says the project keeps her Philly pride front and center. In the lab, she couldn't resist a cheer: "E-A-G-L-E-S!"

The research team plans to compare different formations and personnel groupings, then translate findings into practical guidance for strength coaches — think squat progressions, posterior-chain work, and footwork cues aimed at power and protection.