Saquon Barkley will suit up for his first-ever Super Bowl appearance when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 9. The star running back has wreaked havoc on the gridiron in his first season in Philadelphia.
Let’s examine Barkley’s contract and where he ranks among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.
Is Saquon Barkley The Top-Paid Running Back?
After spending six years with the New York Giants, Barkley joined the Eagles last offseason. The former first-round pick signed a three-year contract worth $37.75 million with the Super Bowl 52 champions. Barkley can earn an additional $9 million in incentives, meaning he could make as much as $46.75 million over the life of his three-year deal with the Eagles.
The $12.6 million average annual value of Barkley’s contract makes him the third highest-paid running back in the NFL. The only RBs who are earning more than Barkley are San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey ($19 million) and Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor ($14 million).
The deal includes $26 million guaranteed and will see Barkley’s cap hit rise to $9 million in 2026. Philadelphia gave Barkley close to $24 million over the first two years of the deal. His cap hit for the 2024 season was just $3.9 million, which will increase to $13.5 million in 2025. In 2026, only $1.5 million of Barkley’s salary is guaranteed. He is scheduled to hit free agency in 2027.
The Eagles RB had an incredible regular season. He led the league in rushing yards with 2,005 yards and became only the ninth player to fetch over 2,000 rushing yards in a season. He is 30 yards away from snatching the record for the most rushing yards in a season (regular + postseason), currently held by Terrell Davis (2,476).
Barkley will join the rare club of players who have played in the Super Bowl on their birthday when he steps on the gridiron on Sunday. He will aim to take home the prestigious trophy and prevent Patrick Mahomes and Co. from completing a three-peat.
The Eagles won the NFC East title with a 14-3 record. They defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round with a 22-10 scoreline. Philadelphia played a thriller against the Los Angeles Rams but held their nerves to progress to the Divisional Round.
Barkley and Co. ended the Washington Commanders’ dreams of a Super Bowl in the NFC Championship Game. Only the Chiefs stand between Barkley and the best birthday he could probably get. The Eagles would love to present their running back with the Vince Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans.