Hershey, Pa., resident and e-commerce entrepreneur Deanna Slamans beat her favorite team to the USPTO ball. But can she carry it into the end zone?
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The NFL owners’ decision on Wednesday to officially legalize the “tush push” play was met with cheers from
Philadelphia Eagles fans around the world. But for Deanna Slamans—a self-taught graphic designer and serial
e-commerce entrepreneur based in Hershey, Pa.—the news carried special significance.
That’s because Slamans is currently first in line to trademark the phrase “tush push,” having filed her application in November 2023—just weeks before the Eagles submitted theirs through the NFL’s trademark division. Slamans also owns the domain TushPush.com, which showcases her collection of
themed merchandise, including shirts, onesies, Christmas ornaments and other paraphernalia.
In May, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a suspension notice on the Eagles’ application, citing Slamans’ earlier filing as a “prior-filed potentially conflicting pending application.”
According to USPTO records, neither the Eagles, the NFL nor any other party have filed a formal opposition to Slamans’ trademark bid. She now has six months to either show proof of commercial use or request an extension.
“I didn’t file it to sell it,” Slamans told
Sportico in a phone interview, adding that she tried reaching out to the Eagles early in the process but never received a response. The team did not respond to a request for comment sent to an Eagles spokesperson.