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By Michael Gallagher
Sports Content Coordinator
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The Philadelphia Eagles have been known to bend the rules to their advantage.
Look no further than the tush push play, which several NFL teams have complained the Eagles use somewhat illegally to gain a competitive advantage (some believe the way Philadelphia sets the play up and uses its offensive lineman is a form of cheating).
And now, the Eagles are being accused of breaking the rules again ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears on “Monday Night Football.”
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Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower recently accused Philadelphia of bending the rules on kickoffs last week against the Tennessee Titans. While using a holder on kickoffs isn’t illegal, Hightower believes the team used the holder to angle the ball on kickoffs to affect the ball’s trajectory and make it more difficult for the kickoff to be returned.
“Two years we talked about it, where you could use a holder,” Hightower said, via Pro Football Talk. “It evolved to weather-related only. This past year it changed to you can use it at any time. But…the intent of the rule is the ball is supposed to be in a tee when you have a holder out there. It’s not to be used like you’ve seen it used here lately.
“… That’s the intent of the rule and what we want to have happen, so that’s the way it should be, and that’s the way we’d like it going forward.”
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Hightower also admitted a conference call between special teams coaches has been scheduled so they could address similar situations and how to prevent it being used to cheat.
He also hopes the fact that special teams coaches are even discussing this kind of unique situation will lead to the NFL changing the rule to prevent teams doing what the Eagles did and requiring a tee to be used even when a holder is on the field.
“We’re all getting together on that shortly and we hope to get that fixed and corrected within the language of everything done in the rulebook,” Hightower said.
NFL insider Mike Florio reported that if the holder rule was changed, it could happen mid-season and the league wouldn’t have to wait to fix it during the offseason.
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