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Sports Illustrated
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Madison Williams

Saquon Barkley Has Powerful Message for NFL Teams Over Tush Push Ban Proposal

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates the team winning Super Bowl LIX. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The debate over whether or not the tush push, a play made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles, should be banned has swept across the NFL world this offseason. NFL owners were expected to vote on a ban, which was pitched by the Green Bay Packers, last month but it was tabled after things reportedly got heated.

Eagles players and coach Nick Sirianni alike have advocated against banning the quarterback sneak play, arguing that teams are just envious that they either can't mimic the play or can't stop it.

Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley, who is coming off a historic first season with the Eagles, is the most recent member of the organization to speak out about the ban. He had a powerful message for NFL teams that want to ban the play—get better.

"If you don't like it, get better at stopping it," Barkley said, via ESPN's Jayson Buford. "It's not like a play that we only do. Everyone tries it, we're just super successful at it."

Like Barkley argued above, some NFL coaches, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Todd Bowles, believe that teams' defenses should just improve their strategies to stop the tush push instead of having the league ban it from being used.

Players and coaches fall on both sides of the argument for the tush push ban, which is why it's likely been difficult for the owners to come to a consensus thus far. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes the owners will officially decide on it this month when they meet on May 20-21 in Minnesota.


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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Saquon Barkley Has Powerful Message for NFL Teams Over Tush Push Ban Proposal.

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