WASHINGTON — Sometimes mom doesn’t always know best.

That’s where the Washington football program's annual "Mom’s Night" comes into play, during which the matriarchs of the Panthers players learn the ins and outs of the game. After some brief instructions and some defensive drills on the turf Thursday at Babcook Field came the highlight of the 90-minute session — moms tackling their sons while suited up in shoulder pads and a helmet.

Over the last two seasons, the unique tradition has become a viral sensation of sorts, clips of the tackles taking in millions of views last year with the moms and sons appearing on multiple television shows. This year, a crew from NFL Films was on hand along with other local media.

“I think all the moms kind of like it,” Washington coach Darrell Crouch said. “They get a chance to put pads on too and realize what their kids are wearing and what that feels like.”

History of 'Mom's Night' in Washington

Crouch says "Mom's Night" dates to the days of hall of fame coach John Venturi, but the tradition was revived around 15 years ago. Moms would learn Washington’s signature "42 power" play, then utilize Crouch’s old college helmet to get some hits in on their kids.

After some brainstorming from the coaching staff, the night now also includes education. Equipment and rules were incorporated, and tackling techniques are stressed to the moms. Each mom also gets a chance to go into the locker room and help their son put on the stripes and the program's iconic script "W" on their son's white helmets.

The night has a real buzz to it, even a gameday-like atmosphere. The school raises the endzone playoff flags, adding to the night's pageantry.

“Our kids enjoy it too,” said Crouch, who noted a special surprise courtesy of the players’ moms will await his team the Thursday before this season’s opening night. “It’s a different bond because, I think, in most sports you’re always tied with your dad.

"Here, you get a night where it’s you and your mom, and it’s about moms.”

How Washington moms night became a viral sensation

Kim Hartzler’s tackle on her son, junior defensive end Carter Prina, during the 2022 mom’s practice went viral on social media. The clip was seen by millions of people and shared thousands of times. It was shown across many of the major network morning shows, first featured on the daily morning news show "CBS Mornings."

The following week, the video was making the rounds on ESPN's "SportsCenter" and on the NFL Network's "Good Morning Football." In early September of last year, some of the moms and Washington assistant Todd Stevens did a live remote segment on Fox & Friends, the daily morning show on Fox News.

This year, an NFL Films crew showed up, helping direct the tackling exercise and even feeding lines to some of the moms and also conducting interviews.

“She loves me and everything,” Prina said, “but when she gets those pads on, man, she knows how to hit. … She’s a hard-nosed girl.

“Everybody looks forward to this day because not every day you’re getting hit by your mom. … It’s good exposure for the moms to feel safe for their kids on the football field.”

However, Hartzler — a former Washington all-state softball player — was aiming to improve on last year’s big hit.

“It’s just fun having a mother-son moment,” she said. “I look forward to hitting the crap out of him every year.”

When the pair FaceTimed on Thursday morning, Hartzler talked some trash to her son, who was a bit taken aback.

“I didn’t think I did anything this year for her to (want to) hit me that hard,” he said.

Appreciating mom

Henry Worrick knows the time and effort his mom, Cassie Worrick, has put into helping him become an all-conference and all-area lineman. The 6-foot, 270-pound senior tackle says he knows all the moms have put in a lot of work.

On top of the younger Worrick's appreciation list? Homecooked meals.

“My mom made me a lot of food for me to make me into a good lineman,” he said. “I think giving them their own night is really important, so they can feel how special we all know they are.”

And how would he rate his mom’s tackle?

“She’s got a lot of practice,” Worrick said, “so I think today was probably the best one. It’s our final one here, so I’m proud of her for that. It’s decent improvement.”

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Moms tackling sons: Washington, Illinois, football's Mom's Night tradition