Barkley Says It Plain: “They Want It Banned Because They Can’t Beat Us”
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Fresh off a record-breaking season and a Super Bowl victory, Saquon Barkley isn’t just running through defenses—he’s running through excuses. And when it comes to the campaign to ban the Eagles’ tush push play, he’s had enough.
“They want it banned because they can’t beat us,” Barkley told reporters in a backstage interview. It wasn’t a calculated press conference. It wasn’t prepped with PR talking points. It was raw—and it was real.
And it hit home.
For three straight seasons, the Eagles have dominated the short-yardage game with the tush push. With Hurts under center, Barkley behind him, and a world-class offensive line, Philly has converted 81.2% of their 1–2 yard situations. But instead of finding a way to stop them, teams are asking the league to step in.
Barkley thinks that’s cowardice. “You had your chance on the field,” he said. “Now you want to cry to the league? Nah. That’s not how champions are made.”
The frustration isn’t just personal. It’s cultural. Barkley knows what it means to win the hard way—through injuries, doubters, and front office drama. Now that he’s on a team that backs him, he’s not afraid to defend what they’ve built.
The backlash against the tush push gained steam after the Eagles embarrassed the Chiefs 40–22 in Super Bowl LIX, scoring early and often using the play. In the aftermath, the Packers led a proposal to ban it, backed by the Bills. But without injury data to support the “safety” claim, critics—especially Barkley—see it for what it is: fear in disguise.
“They can’t match our strength,” he said. “So now they want to outlaw it.”
Head coach Nick Sirianni agrees. “You don’t ban what works. You adapt. You evolve. This is football—not flag football.”
As NFL owners prepare to meet again in May to revisit the ban proposal, Barkley’s words have drawn a line in the turf: stop us if you can—or stop complaining.
