The Philadelphia Eagles entered the postseason hoping to defend their Super Bowl 59 title. Their repeat bid ended abruptly with a 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round, a defeat that capped a season in which the offense never regained its championship-level rhythm.
As the team’s production dipped, the spotlight quickly shifted to offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who became a central target for fans and media members searching for answers.
Saquon Barkley Calls Out Media Narrative Says Eagles’ Struggles Were Teamwide
Running back Saquon Barkley pushed back on that narrative on Monday, making it clear he does not believe Patullo should be singled out for the Eagles’ offensive regression.
Speaking with reporters, Barkley said he understands why the conversation often narrows to one person but argued that the reality is far more complicated.
“[The media] has to point their finger at one person, that’s what you guys have to do in your job. Somebody’s got to catch the blame, especially when we had the season we had the year before,” Barkley said, via Eagles beat writer Eliot Shorr-Parks.
Saquon Barkley says he has nothing but positive things to say about Patullo as a man and a coach
Says it is unfair that the finger will be pointed at one person for the season not going how they wanted pic.twitter.com/mwMvzsvs4Q
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) January 12, 2026
Barkley said he does not think that approach is fair and acknowledged that he did not play to his own standard in his second season with the Eagles. He said any discussion about the offense’s shortcomings should include him.
“Do I think that’s fair? No, I don’t think that’s fair at all. Did I play to the level I did last year? I don’t think so. I let him down, I let my teammates down,” Barkley said.
The Eagles’ offensive inconsistency was also reflected in the numbers. The Eagles finished the regular season with a PFSN Offense Impact score of 74.6, which ranked 16th in the league. The metric underscored a unit that struggled to sustain drives, finish possessions, and match the efficiency that powered the team to a championship the year before
Barkley emphasized that those issues were the result of collective breakdowns, not the work of a single coach or player. “It’s a group thing. I know you guys are going to point at one person … it’s a group effort. I got nothing but positive things to say about [Patullo] as a man, as a coach,” Barkley said. “We fell short. We as a collective didn’t do enough, and that’s just the truth in my opinion.”
The Eagles now enter an offseason filled with questions about their offensive identity and coaching structure. While speculation about potential changes will continue, Barkley’s comments underscore a message of shared responsibility.
For one of the team’s most prominent voices, the focus is not on assigning blame to a single figure but on acknowledging that the Eagles’ failed title defense was the product of shortcomings across the board.
