After falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the 2024 NFL playoffs, the Green Bay Packers are preparing to make a deeper postseason run this coming season.
The Packers will likely have to go through that same Eagles team, and a long-time member of Green Bay's roster who elected to take his talents to Philadelphia this offseason as a free agent, if they want to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
After being selected by the Packers with the No. 62 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, AJ Dillon served as a rotational piece in the backfield, appearing in 60 games, including 11 starts, over four seasons in Green Bay.
Now, he will serve in a similar role behind Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, and Dillon let the world know just how excited he is about being part of the roster that has mastered the most controversial play in football, the tush push.
AJ Dillon Lobbying Against NFL Rule Change That Could Ruin His Value
“Absolutely,” Dillon said. “I think it’s the most efficient play in football. At least while the Eagles have been running it. I don’t know exactly what the stats are but ballpark range 90% first downs. I definitely want to be on that side of it rather than trying to stop.”
Across the league, there are different perspectives regarding the tush push and whether it should be legal. Philadelphia favors the scheme and hopes to continue using it as part of its game plan. The other 31 NFL teams? Not so much.
Dillon expects the tush push to be a contentious point between the Packers and Eagles when the two sides meet at Lambeau Field later this year.
“Funny enough, I do a podcast with my brother-in-law,” Dillon said. “He’s here in Green Bay, where we started it. I was giving him a lot of flak for that, a lot of flak for that. I’m like, ‘You ban the play just because it works really well? Why don’t you come up with a play to stop it?’ Week 10 (Eagles vs. Packers in Green Bay) will be interesting. That will be a lot of fun. A lot of smack-talking going on for sure.”
Considering that Dillion is built like a brick wall, it makes sense that the 6-foot, 247-pound running back is excited to put his strength to use whenever Philadelphia lines up in this formation.
Packers fans can rest assured that Green Bay's defensive front is just as excited to make Dillon eat his words and win the battle in the trenches if, and when, they see the Eagles attempt to push Jalen Hurts forward to move the line to gain.