What Is A 'peanut Punch' In Nfl?

Before winning nan Super Bowl successful February, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni shared a cardinal logic for his side's protect dominance.

During nan 2024 season, nan Eagles recorded nan astir forced fumbles successful nan NFL (30) - galore from a play called nan 'Peanut punch'.

Philly pulled disconnected nan play doubly successful nan NFC Championship game alone, which helped them hit Washington and unafraid their spot successful nan Super Bowl.

Sirianni past revealed that "our video feline sewage maine each Peanut punch that he forced a fumble with", and nan Eagles had been watching it "on a loop".

So what is nan play, and who is nan "he" Sirianni referred to?

Charles Tillman - nicknamed 'Peanut' - is sixth connected nan all-time database for forced fumbles, pinch 44 during his 13-year NFL career, acknowledgment to a move he invented.

A 'Peanut punch' is simply a protect play successful which nan tackler attempts to sound nan shot retired of nan attacking player's grasp.

Tacklers usually effort to wrap their arms astir nan shot bearer and bring them down.

But erstwhile a subordinate attempts a 'Peanut punch', they attraction connected connecting pinch nan shot and forcing it loose, giving their squad a chance to regain possession.

It is simply a game-changing play that tin plaything momentum successful an instant, and ensured nan erstwhile Chicago Bears cornerback gained NFL immortality.

Tillman's signature move takes its sanction from his nickname.

"I was only astir 5 pounds erstwhile I was a baby, existent tiny, and my Aunt Renee conscionable said 'oh, he looks for illustration a small peanut'," he told BBC Sport.

"It conscionable stuck, I could ne'er shingle it. I'm now 44 years aged and cipher successful my family calls maine Charles, for illustration ever."

That mini babe grew into a 6ft 2in (1.88m) protect backmost who played assemblage shot astatine nan University of Louisiana, wherever 1 of his coaches said that erstwhile making a tackle he should besides 'go aft nan ball'.

Tillman honed nan technique, purposely approaching attackers astatine what are considered 'bad angles' for making a tackle, but perfect for knocking nan shot loose.

He would effort to sneak down nan shot bearer and onslaught nan shot from an perspective wherever it was not being held securely.

After becoming a second-round draught prime by nan Bears successful 2003, Tillman thought nan 'Peanut punch' would beryllium excessively risky successful nan NFL - that players would beryllium excessively speedy and get distant from him arsenic he lined up nan play.

But he punched a shot loose connected a punt return successful his rookie play and gradually made a sanction for himself.

He added: "A twelvemonth later I made a play successful a crippled and nan announcer said: 'And Peanut Tillman pinch nan tackle'.

"I retrieve reasoning 'I conjecture I'm mainstream now, I conjecture everyone knows that I'm conscionable 'Peanut'."

During nan 2012 season, Tillman registered 10 forced fumbles - tying nan NFL grounds for a azygous play - and claimed a grounds 4 successful 1 crippled against nan Tennessee Titans.

He made different 2 aft leaving Chicago successful 2015 to walk his last play pinch nan Carolina Panthers, making his 2nd Super Bowl quality successful his last game.

In 2022, nan NFL confirmed nan 'Peanut punch' arsenic an charismatic in-game method aft noting "an uptick" successful its usage that season.

The Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia and, of course, Chicago are among nan teams who person tried it nan astir since.

Eagles coach Sirianni said they "drilled nan heck retired of it" past season. Not only does nan 'Peanut punch' extremity nan different squad from scoring, but it tin springiness your squad an contiguous chance to return advantage.

Philly pulled disconnected a 'Peanut punch' 3 times successful past season's play-offs and each clip they secured a turnover and scored connected that possession.

So 9 years aft retiring, Tillman's nickname and signature move are still mentioned dozens of times each season.

"It feels good," said Tillman. "It lets maine cognize that I'm still a portion of nan game.

"I will everlastingly beryllium known arsenic nan feline that created nan 'Peanut punch', I perfected it, truthful there's a portion of maine that's successful nan history of nan NFL.

"I near my mark, truthful it's cool having changed nan crippled from that piece, having my ain thing."

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