Back in 2018 when he was still a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Anthony Barr was filmed on the sideline having a conversation with former teammates Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris about how a team should come up with a play where the offense has "one big dude at quarterback and then another big dude right behind him and then just mush em."
The play that Barr came up with that day is essentially the infamous "tush push" play that the Philadelphia Eagles have run to perfection in the last few seasons. The success of the "tush push" play is probably why the clip of the former Minnesota linebacker's conversation with Smith and Harris in 2018 has been viewed over 1 million times since it was shared in 2023 on the NFL Films official account on Instagram.
On Thursday, Barr made an appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show, and he shared whether or not the "tush push" is a football play and if it should continue to be allowed in the NFL. Considering he made a living on the defensive side of the ball, his answer might surprise a few people.
"Yeah, I don't think I ever had success stopping it. But it is a football play in my opinion. It's a play that teams need to figure out how to stop. I don't think you can ban a play because that's a slippery slope. You ban one play, [then] what's next?
Obviously, the Eagles owe me some royalties, in my opinion. Maybe send me a ring or something. But the 'tush push' is part of the game. Let's figure out a way to stop it and the team that does, everybody else will mimic it and [we'll] go from there."
Former Vikings LB Anthony Barr also talks about that play involving Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen
Something else happened back in 2018 involving Barr that he probably wishes would disappear from everyone's memories, and that is the moment when he was hurdled (yes, hurdled) by Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Allen wasn't in the MVP form that he's developed into today, but he showed flashes early in his career, and jumping over the former Vikings linebacker was one of his first incredible moments that have become much more frequent in the present day.
Barr also talked about Allen and that play during his appearance on "Good Morning Football" on Thursday.
"[Allen] jumped over me, actually, one game. I think it was his first or second year in the league, and it was an open field, and I was like, 'Ok, he's going to slide.'
...and he jumped over me, bro. I didn't even dive. I was standing straight, and he just [jumped over me]. I'm like, 'This dude is different.' He's fast, he's jumping over me, and I'm on highlights watching myself on TV like, 'Dang, Josh! You didn't have to do me like that!'"
Barr recently announced his retirement from the NFL after spending 10 years in the league. Of course, the majority of his pro career was spent with Minnesota, where he established himself as one of the top linebackers in the league.