The Eagles now own the trademark on Brotherly Shove — but are still waiting on Tush Push
The team applied last year and had its application granted this week.
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Get ready for Brotherly Shove merchandise to hit the shelves at Lincoln Financial Field.
As of Sept. 17, the Eagles officially own the trademark for the Philly-specific name of their signature Tush Push play, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. That means the Eagles have exclusive rights to include the Brotherly Shove phrase on “men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, namely, shirts, shorts, jackets, sweatshirts, jerseys, hats, and caps being headgear,” according to the trademark filing, which was first filed about 11 months ago.
After a season of speculation on whether the play would be banned — partially due to its massive success, leading the Kelce brothers to nickname fans of their podcast “92-percenters” for how often the team converted it — the NFL elected not to take action to ban the play in the offseason.
With Jason Kelce’s retirement, the play hasn’t been as automatic as it once was to start the 2024 season. However, it’s still a staple for the Eagles in short-yardage situations, with Cam Jurgens and Jalen Hurts converting a third-down and later scoring a touchdown with the move against the Falcons with Kelce in the booth calling the game.
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The successful application does not restrict other teams from copying or using the play on the field — just from using the specific Brotherly Shove phrasing on merchandise and memorabilia. Given its Philly-specific name, that probably applies to apparel makers looking to cash in on the name rather than other NFL teams.
The Eagles also have an outstanding trademark application on the phrase Tush Push that was filed later in 2023, in December. That application hit a roadblock in May after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suspended their application due to a preexisting trademark application on the phrase. A suspension does not mean the Eagles will not be able to trademark the Tush Push name, but it does indicate a stoppage in processing, so an approval will likely take longer to come than the yearlong process for Brotherly Shove.
Keep an eye out at the team store, Eagles fans. Brotherly Shove merchandise could find its way onto shelves any day.