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Saquon Barkley Has Blunt Message For NFL Teams Trying To Ban 'Tush Push'

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 24, 2025 3:36 PM ET

The NFL owners seeking to get the "Tush Push" play banned failed in their efforts by just two votes. While there may be a renewed push to ban the play next year, it's safe for now - much to the delight of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Among the many to weight in on the play and its survival in the NFL is All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley. In a recent podcast appearance on "Exciting Mics," Barkley made it clear that he thinks seeking to ban the play are "soft."

Barkley explained that the Eagles are simply better at the play than everyone else because they have players that are uniquely qualified to run it to perfection.

“I think it’s soft, to be honest,” Barkley said, via Nick Brinkerhoff of USA Today. “Everybody can do it. It’s not a play that we only can do. We happen to have one of the best and biggest O-lines, and Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. That’s not our fault.

“(Bills QB) Josh Allen is super big, they’re not successful with it. Lamar Jackson is one of the best running quarterbacks of all-time, they’re not successful with it. So it’s not something that everyone can’t do. Them trying to eliminate it, I think that’s kind of lame.

“And the teams that want to get rid of it are the teams that gotta see us two or three times a year.”

“Everybody can do it, there’s no health issue."

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 03: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles hurdles Jarrian Jones #22 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter of a game at Lincoln Financial Field on November 03, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Elsa/Getty Images

The NFL owners certainly seem to agree (or at least 10 of them did) and the play will now survive because of it.

But the NFL is a copycat league and if a play emerges that 31 other teams can't replicate, sooner or later they're going to get tired of seeing it run against them.

Whether or not there are health risks involved, a play that is basically guaranteed to work for one team is not entertaining (except for the Eagles) and the league won't tolerate any reduction in entertainment.

2025 could very well be the final year of the Tush Push, whether it's a dangerous play or not.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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