Saquon Barkley proved his mettle on the biggest of testing grounds. The running back has made a place for himself in the hearts and minds of the Philadelphia Eagles fans.
It seems like a distant memory that Barkley signed with them after the New York Giants didn’t entertain his request for a contract extension. However, after the Super Bowl victory he has taken the high road.
Saquon Barkley Has No Harsh Feelings Towards the Giants’ Front Office
Barkley’s inclusion improved an already lethal run game in Philadelphia that saw them lift the Lombardi Trophy. However, none of that would’ve been possible if the Giants hadn’t prioritized Daniel Jones over him and let Barkley leave in free agency.
After the Super Bowl 59 victory, Barkley made an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with his quarterback Jalen Hurts. The host, Jimmy Fallon showed the viral clip of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” in which the Giants brass discusses Barkley’s free agency.
Fallon wanted a statement from Barkley that would show the Giants their misstep in the offseason. However, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year showed humility and gave an update on his relationship with the Giants.
“Yeah, I mean, you know, that clip doesn’t really display my relationship I have with that organization from top to bottom,” Barkley said. “They’re the people that brought me in. After the game, so many guys and people from that organization reached out to me and were super happy.”
.@saquon reacts to the viral Hard Knocks clip before joining the @Eagles. #FallonTonight #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/PmxZepXsnP
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) February 12, 2025
“One, for my birthday and see me hold that Lombardi Trophy up because they know the hard work that I put in. That clip is in the past and I’m happy to be an Eagle.”
“I look at it as like Marshall Faulk — one of my favorite running backs — he played for the Colts, but he’s remembered as a Ram. Now I’m just trying to be remembered as an Eagle.”
The analogy of Faulk employed by Barkley is spot on. Like Barkley, Faulk also won the Super Bowl and the Offensive Player of the Year in his first year with the Rams. While Barkley, stayed with the Giants for 6 seasons, Faulk was with the Indianapolis Colts for 5 seasons.
The Hall of Famer is remembered for his tremendous seven seasons with the Rams where he retired as well after winning two more NFL OPOY honors and one NFL MVP.