Something has to give between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles when they both stake their undefeated records in Week 4 on Sunday.
The Buccaneers remained undefeated after escaping the New York Jets, 29-27, in Week 3. It's their first 3-0 start since 2005.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are still unblemished in their title defense after beating the Los Angeles Rams, 33-26, on Sunday.
Ahead of their meeting at Raymond James Stadium, Bowles expressed his support for the Eagles' tush push. The play has become controversial over the years, with many coaches urging the NFL to ban it. The 61-year-old Bowles, however, is in the minority.
Because of his stance, fans in Philadelphia are hailing him as a hero. When told about it, Bowles, who spent time as secondary coach of the Eagles in 2012, downplayed it with a joke.
“I think the only place I might be a hero at is Ishkabibble’s down on South Street,” said the Buccaneers coach in a video posted by ESPN's Jenna Laine, referencing the popular cheesesteak joint.
“Other than that, it's a good play. It's a creative play for them.”
Coach Todd Bowles was asked how he feels about being a “hero” in Philly because he’s spoken out in SUPPORT of the “Tush Push,” lauding the play for its creativity. “I think the only place I might be a hero at is Ishkabibble’s down on South Street,” he said laughing. pic.twitter.com/SPk8HmKdwb
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) September 24, 2025
Bowles, who's known for his defensive acumen, added that they should also be creative in trying to stop the tush push. In an earlier remark, he intimated that restricting it might set an ugly precedent and dissuade teams from drawing up unique strategies.
“I think if somebody crafts something and they do it well and it's within the rules, it's up to the other side of the ball to stop them, whether it's offensively or defensively. They have something they do very well,” said Bowles on Tuesday, as quoted by the Associated Press' Rob Maaddi.
“If everyone else could do it, everybody would be doing it. So, it's a challenge for all the defensive coaches to try to stop it, and that'll include me.”
It will be interesting to see if the Eagles will deploy the tush push against the Buccaneers on Sunday.