Tush Push ban: What Jalen Hurts, Eagles players have said about looming NFL vote
The Philadelphia Eagles' signature "tush push" play has become a hot-button issue during the 2025 NFL offseason. Specifically, the NFL is weighing whether the play should be banned due to concerns about "player safety" and "pace of play."
The NFL is set to make a decision about the tush push's future this week.
As that vote approaches, Philadelphia's players aren't overly focused on the future of their highly effective short-yardage sneak.
Some players have stepped up in favor of the tush push, but others have taken a more diplomatic approach while noting their belief Philadelphia will be successful running the sneak even without the push from behind.
Here's a look at what some of Philadelphia's offensive stars have been saying about tush push with its future in jeopardy.
What Eagles players have said about a tush push ban
Saquon Barkley
Barkley is a staunch supporter of the tush push, and spoke about why he believes the play should be allowed at the 2025 Met Gala.
"If you don't like it, get better at stopping it," Barkley told ESPN. "It's not like a play that we only can do. Everybody does it. Everyone tries it. We're just super successful at it."
Barkley noted he is particularly familiar with how devastating the tush push can be for opposing teams thanks to his time with the New York Giants.
"I know what it does to a team, how it breaks down a team," he said. "Now, being on a team it's kinda you're lining up and everyone knows what you're doing. And it's like, 'Stop me.' And they can't."
Still, as difficult as the tush push is to stop, Barkley doesn't believe the dissenters should get there way and have the play banned.
"They're gonna get in their feels about it. They're gonna try to make changes, but I don't see that happening," Barkley said. "And if it doesn't, just get better at stopping it."
Jalen Hurts
By comparison, Hurts remained neutral when discussing the tush push at the Eagles' offseason workouts.
"I don't have a comment on that," he told reporters, when asked about the play's future.
That response may come as a surprise to some, considering the high level of success Hurts has enjoyed running the play thanks to his unique lower-body strength. That said, he wasn't the only Eagles player to remain tactful when discussing the play.
Jordan Mailata
Mailata, the Eagles' left tackle, brought jokes to his analysis of the league's potential tush push ban.
"In terms of them banning the tush push, I hate that name, so I hope they do ban it," he said. "Stupid name."
In reality, he expressed he is trying not to concentrate much on the NFL's upcoming vote. Why?
"I can't control that. We can't control that, so we don't even worry about that," Mailata explained. "Right now, we're just installing our schemes, whatever [new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo] is installing that day, that's what we're focused on. Because worrying about if they're gonna ban the tush push or not ain't gonna win us another championship. What we do every day here matters."
Mailata also remained confident the Eagles will have no issues adjusting to succeeding in short-yardage situations if the tush push is outlawed.
"I guess we just do it with no push then," he told reporters. "That's the solution."
A.J. Brown
Brown didn't offer much in his evaluation of the tush push, but seemed to indicate he agreed the Eagles would find another way to find short-yardage success.
"I don't have any thoughts on it," he said of the play. "It’s only one yard."