Jason Kelce helped perfect the Tush Push as the Eagles center before retiring last year. He also might have helped save his former team’s signature play, as a vote by NFL owners fell short Wednesday on a proposal that would have banned the modified quarterback sneak.

The Philadelphia Eagles are calling in reinforcements in a last-ditch attempt to save the tush push before NFL owners vote on a proposed rule to ban the play on Wednesday.

Kelce does know better than anyone what it's like to be in the middle of the tush push. The Eagles began running the play while Kelce was the team's starting center and were largely successful because of his excellence as a blocker in short-yardage situations. He was, literally and figuratively, at the center of it all when the tush push was born.