Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley might have had a quiet game in Super Bowl 59, but he did enough to set the NFL single-season rushing record.
Barkley managed a modest 57 rushing yards in the Eagles’ resounding 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, ending the season with 2,504 yards to his name.
However, Barkley signed in Philadelphia to win Super Bowls, not rushing titles. He finished the job on Sunday in New Orleans. Barkley said it had been his childhood dream to lift the Lombardi Trophy, and when he did it on Sunday, he found it to be prettier than he had anticipated.
‘It’s Everything You Dream Of!’ Saquon Barkley Reacts to Winning Super Bowl
In a post-game interview with the PFSN and other reporters, Barkely confessed to having harbored the dream of winning a Super Bowl since childhood. He also said the Lombardi Trophy looked better in person as compared to the Madden NFL’s video game version.
“Oh man,” he said. “She looks prettier in person, I’ll tell you that. It’s better in person than it is in Madden, I’ll tell you that, playing as a kid. It’s everything you dream of. I’m just happy to be able to hold it, give it a kiss, and be World Champs.”
Barkley joined the Eagles for three years and $37.75 million on the first day of 2024 free agency and put together one of the greatest seasons by a running back in the history of football. In the process, he helped Philadelphia rank 14th by PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
Barkley led the NFL in rushing attempts (345), rushing yards (2,005), and total yards (2,283). Going from one of the worst offenses in the league in the New York Giants to one of the best in the Eagles, Barkley’s efficiency skyrocketed. After averaging just 3.9 yards per carry in 2023, Barkley’s mark spiked to 5.8 in 2024. It’s the first time he’s reached 5.0 yards per carry since his rookie year. It was the highest rate of his career.
Topping it off was the Super Bowl championship Barkley had waited so long for.
“Hell of a year, right? I couldn’t do it without the big boys up front, everyone on this team. I just appreciate them – the whole Eagles organization. Of me being a newcomer, welcoming me in with open arms and helping build confidence back in me too. That was definitely helpful.
“It was a hell of a year, but all of the numbers and stats or records are cool, but the best thing is to be able to hold that Lombardi Trophy.”
It’s rare for running backs to have their career years in their age-27 season, on a second contract. But Barkley is keenly aware of the fact that his success was a team effort.
“[We have] a lot of talent, but the beauty of this team is that we all want to see each other succeed. And when you have all those guys and all those superstar names and all buy into that mindset, buy into a team effort, that’s how you become World Champs.”
Barkley is expected to continue his remaining two years of contract with the Eagles; and with the core of their offense—Jalen Hurts, Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith—all returning, Philadelphia is positioned well to defend its title next year.