Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley’s best single-game rushing performance of his career came into view last Sunday.
But Barkley ended up finishing his first game back at MetLife Stadium since parting ways with the New York Giants, just 13 yards short of what would have been a career-high in rushing yards. Barkley’s day ended with a still impressive 176 rushing yards.
The Philadelphia Eagles sideline was well aware that Barkley was about to have the best game of his NFL career. Head coach Nick Sirianni even gave his star running back a chance to get back into the game in the fourth quarter.
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The Eagles confirmed that X, formerly known as Twitter, shared a video from NFL Films showing Barkley turning down Sirianni’s attractive offer.
“I want to see young boys eat,” Barclay told Sirianni.
Eagles’ Saquon Barkley talks about how he feels about being booed by Giants fans: “I live for you”
Sirianni recalled what Frank Reich taught him about staying informed so that whenever an opportunity presents itself, coaches can do everything they can to help their players achieve special moments. Ta. Sirianni served as Reich’s offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2020.
“I usually like to keep my conversations with players private,” Sirianni said after the Week 7 game. “Frank Reich always said to me, ‘When someone is going to do something special, be sure to let them know,’ because it’s hard to do it. It’s hard to get it back.” It’s hard, and whatever records you break, it’s hard. That (DeVonta Smith) broke the rookie single-season record a few years ago, so we wanted to get him that. ”
Barkley is ultimately more interested in prioritizing his teammates than setting new records for himself and giving them a chance to showcase their abilities in a shutout 28-3 victory over the Giants. It seemed like that.
“So, that was on our minds because we got word from the box that he was nearing a career high, and I sat there with him and said, ‘Listen, this is where we are. Where you are, what is this?’ He looked at me and said – I mean, this guy is such a great teammate and all he cares about is winning. He looked at me and said, “Feed the others.” ”
“I was like, ‘You’re special, dude.’ He’s a special player. I read everything that all the Giants players were saying about him. They said it was going to be a war. But they all love him, and I know this football team loves him.”
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New York general manager Joe Schon had discussions with Barkley and his representatives during the offseason, but stopped short of officially offering the running back a new contract. The Giants’ response to the Barkley situation was chronicled on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
A clip from the show shows Giants co-owner and CEO John Mara telling Schoen, “If Saquon goes to Philadelphia, he’s going to have a hard time sleeping.” It had been.
Barkley and the Eagles will travel to Ohio later this week to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on October 27th. The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 8.
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