Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley delivered a blunt message to critics of the team’s dominant “Tush Push” play.

The controversial short-yardage power move faced banishment during the league’s annual meetings when 22 of 32 teams voted to eliminate it.

However, that fell short of the required 75 percent needed to change the rule.

Asked whether the widespread outrage was justified or if teams simply need to find better ways to stop the play, Barkley offered a direct response that left no room for interpretation.

“They just need to get better. Do a better job at stopping it. No one gets hurt on the play and everyone can do it. You know quarterback sneak’s been there for a long time, so anybody that’s complaining about that, what are you really talking about?” Barkley said, via B/R Gridiron.

Saquon says teams have no legit reason to ban the Tush Push 👀#nfl #football #eagles #tushpush pic.twitter.com/tL6qxGqJXf

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) June 2, 2025

The running back’s support of the play carries significant weight given his unique perspective.

As Philadelphia uses it as its primary goal-line weapon, Barkley has watched numerous scoring opportunities go to quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Despite potentially losing touches near the end zone, Barkley remains steadfast in supporting the play’s legitimacy.

The Eagles have transformed the quarterback sneak into a nearly unstoppable weapon through a combination of Hurts’ exceptional lower-body strength, elite offensive line play, and countless repetitions in practice.

While other teams have attempted to duplicate the success, none have matched Philadelphia’s remarkable efficiency.

This disparity in execution has intensified debate as teams unable to replicate the Eagles’ success continue to pursue rule changes rather than improving their own execution or defensive schemes.

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