Tight end Connor Heyward thrives running Steelers’ debut ‘tush push’

Apparently not comfortable, for obvious reasons, letting their 41-year-old quarterback run the so-called “tush push,” the Pittsburgh Steelers turned to Connor Heyward.

Though some other teams have deployed tight ends to run plays up the middle on third- or fourth-and-1 snaps over the past two seasons or so, Heyward is no normal tight end. That’s because he was a running back in college and a quarterback in high school.

Heyward converted a third-and-1 with 5 minutes, 37 seconds left in Sunday’s win against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin. Pushed by 6-foot-7 tight end Darnell Washington while veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers stood well in the backfield with his hands on his hips, Heyward was credited with a 2-yard gain that helped bleed some clock and keep a Steelers drive alive as they were protecting a 10-point lead.

The #Steelers ran a Tush Push but used their TE instead of the QB.

Aaron Rodgers just stood, watched, and signaled first down. ????pic.twitter.com/ybWyYjmwBr https://t.co/oHNuF8c4jy

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2025

“Even in high school I played quarterback, so I think that helps,” Heyward said Tuesday from UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “But just also, just not trying to put Aaron in there and have him get crammed. You know how that is.”

Heyward said the offensive coaches came to him over the summer to begin to install the play with him as the ball carrier in a direct snap with the formation jumbled together close to the line of scrimmage.

The Steelers have repped the play periodically at practice, and Heyward said he and center Zach Frazier daily go over the snap operation.

Despite Heyward’s QB experience, not only was it almost a decade ago at this point, it also was almost exclusively out of the shotgun.

“But Aaron taught me how to take a snap the proper way: interlocking your hands, your thumbs,” Heyward said. “Some guys in the league don’t even do that, but it just helps you secure the snap and get the play started because you know that’s what’s most important. … Get the snap. You don’t want to drop it.”

The “tush push,” of course, has been popularized in recent years by the Philadelphia Eagles, who have an almost-perfect success rate executing the play with quarterback Jalen Hurts.

While Heyward as the ball carrier has a significant role in the play, of course, it is probably the “pusher” of the “tush” who might be just as responsible for its success. And what better people-mover than Washington, who is believed to weigh more than 300 pounds.

“He said he tried to grab me and (carry) me up,” Heyward said with a chuckle. “I mean, he’s a massive human. So you want him to be the one to push you, if anybody.”