Saquon Barkley spoke about his team's decision to rest him in the final game of the season, which cost him a chance to break the NFL's single-season rushing record.
The Philadelphia Eagles star told reporters Wednesday that he is “down” with the head coach. Name Nick Sirianni decision to hold him out of the game against the New York Giants on Sunday. Barkley said he talked to Siranni about the decision after last Sunday's win against the Dallas Cowboys, and he wasn't enthusiastic at the time, but he invested heavily in breaking the record after to sleep in it.
Now, he will not get that chance and he is not sure that he will get it again.
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Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs past Washington Commanders tackles en route to a 39-yard field goal during the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. (Photos by Eric Hartline-Imagn)
“He asked me if I wanted to play, if I wanted to play, I said, on Sunday, I probably didn't care too much. When I slept on it, it was like, it's a chance to put my name in I probably won't get that chance again, but at the end of the day, I don't care if we put the team at risk,” Barkley said.
Barkley said he also told his family about the situation, and they want him to break the record more than he does.
“I told my family, of course. My family probably wanted a little more than me,” Barkley said.
Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs off the field after defeating the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. (Photos by Eric Hartline-Imagn)
However, Barkley accepts the decision and is more invested in helping his team win the playoffs.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is winning football games and winning the playoffs, and I have a bigger goal in mind,” Barkley said.
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Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on December 29, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Barkley, who has 2,005 yards this season, is 100 shy of Eric Dickerson's record for most rushing yards in a season. Dickerson broke the record with 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.
In 1984, Dickerson topped 100 yards rushing 12 times to break OJ Simpson's 1973 Buffalo record of 2,003 rushing yards in a single season. Dickerson needed 379 carries to set the record, while Barkley had 345 carries this season.
Barkley signed a three-year contract with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed and $37.75 million in total, making him the highest paid in franchise history.
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