Eagles' Saquon Barkley says he has nothing to prove to Giants
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates after scoring a two-point conversion against the New Orleans Saints in the second half of an NFL game in New Orleans on Sept. 22. Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert
Saquon Barkley knows the rivalry between the Giants and Eagles having played in nine games between the teams. On Sunday he’ll get an entirely new perspective.
“A year or two ago I probably never would have expected to be on this side of it,” the running back told reporters in the Eagles locker room in Philadelphia on Wednesday as he and his new team prepared to face his old team at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million free agent contract with the Eagles in March. He had always maintained a desire to be a “Giant for life,” but ultimately it was the Giants who decided against that and did not make him an offer this offseason.
Despite their messy divorce in the spring — and the behind-the-scenes drama from it that aired on “Hard Knocks” this summer — Barkley said he holds no grudges against the Giants. He definitely wants to beat them, though.
“I don’t have to prove anything to them,” he said. “At the end of the day the most important thing is winning. Whether I go have 300 yards or I have 10 yards, as long as we win. I don’t have that big of a pride or ego that if I go out there and ball it’s like I’m looking at those guys like ‘Look what you guys let go.’
"There is no hate over there. But at the same time I do know it’s a big game, an important game. It’s a division rival and I am going to go in there locked in and do the best I can to try to help us win the game.”
As for grudges against Barkley, well, those figure to be aired by the 80,000 or so folks attending the game, many of whom once wore his blue 26 jersey and feel betrayed that the running back signed with such a fierce rival.
Barkley had previously told ESPN that he did not expect to get booed by Giants fans upon his return. His former teammates know better. Daniel Jones was asked how he thinks Barkley will be received.
“If I had to guess, probably not warmly,” he chuckled.
Added Dexter Lawrence: “I think he did a lot of good for this organization, but we have some tough fans and they’re going to bring him in however they feel is right for them.”
On Wednesday Barkley hedged on that welcoming prediction a bit.
“I meant it more like this rivalry is so much bigger than what happened in the offseason between me and the Giants or on ‘Hard Knocks,’” he said. “It’s been going on for a very long time. I’ve been on the other side and I know how Giants fans feel.
“I don’t know what the environment is going to be like,” he continued, “but I am excited. As a player, as a competitor, you have to welcome those environments and those moments. However it is, hopefully it gives me a little extra juice and I can go out there and perform and help my team win.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
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