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 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:

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.

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.

University of Rochester students put Eagles' tush push under the microscope, studying safety and performance