Michael Irvin sounds off as referees disallow Giants' fumble recovery after Jalen Hurts' drop during 'tush push'

A controversial play occurred during the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 8 game against the New York Giants. It involved Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during a fourth-and-1 "tush push" attempt.

Hurts appeared to fumble the ball after contact with Giants defender Kayvon Thibodeaux, who subsequently recovered the football. However, officials ruled that Hurts' forward progress was stopped before the fumble occurred, which negated the turnover.

Many fans and analysts were not happy with the call and questioned the officiating, including commentator and former NFL player Michael Irvin. He reposted the clip of the play on his X account.

"Definitely a fumble bro!!!!" Irvin tweeted.

Michael Irvin

@michaelirvin88

Definitely a fumble bro!!!!

Fox commentators and analysts on the broadcast agreed.

“To me, he is pushing forward, he is reaching," Fox rules analyst Dean Blandino said. "That is an early whistle, in my opinion.”

Giants coach Brian Daboll challenged the call, believing that Hurts did not gain a first down. However, the ruling stood and Philadelphia retained possession.

According to Blandino, their only chance to overturn the play would've been if the ball came out of Hurts’ hands the instant he was hit.

“The key here is, they ruled progress,” Blandino said. “The Giants can’t successfully challenge it (as) the ball would have needed to come out immediately.”

Subsequently, Hurts led a touchdown drive, followed by a pass to Saquon Barkley, which gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead.

The play intensified debates over officiating and the difficulty of fairly judging the “tush push.”

AJ Brown deletes social media posts amid rift with Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown sparked speculation of tension with Jalen Hurts. Fans noticed them being distant in Weeks 5 and 6, which worsened after Brown’s injury. He also recently deleted an old tweet praising Hurts, as well as multiple posts that reflected their connection.

The duo’s performance in the same offensive zones appears misaligned, which has reduced the chemistry built over four seasons. Brown expressed frustration publicly via an Instagram post.

“Using me but not using me,” Brown wrote on Tuesday.

Despite the issues, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie emphasized that it was necessary.

"It’s not that we want to fight, we just need intensity all the time for whatever reason, it’s what works," Lurie said on Friday, via Marca.

Philadelphia confirmed it is not actively trading Brown before the Nov. 4 deadline but remains open to offers. Brown’s return and future will be closely watched as the season progresses.