Eagles' Saquon Barkley will sit out Sunday against Giants despite NFL rushing record within grasp
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley talks to reporters following an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
The Giants will indeed see old friend Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia in Sunday’s regular-season finale. Barkley, however, will be on the sideline in street clothes.
Barkley won’t play, along with several Eagles starters, coach Nick Sirianni told reporters Wednesday. It wasn’t a surprise with the Eagles locked into the NFC’s No. 2 seed for the playoffs.
But it means Barkley’s season ends at 2,005 rushing yards, just 101 shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards set in 1984.
For the Giants, they avoid seeing a former teammate get a chance to make history at their expense. But some also marveled at Barkley’s season having seen up close what he did.
“I think he always knew it was in him. He always knew he was capable,” said receiver Darius Slayton, who played five seasons with Barkley. “Just never really quite came to fruition here, unfortunately. But I think we all knew what he was capable of and I’m glad he got a chance to show that.”
Barkley already made his statement in his return to MetLife Stadium on Oct. 20. His 176 rushing yards, along with a touchdown, against the Giants was his second-highest total of the season.
Now that he’s joined the 2,000-yard club, it reinforces how bad the decision was to let him walk in free agency after last season. He wouldn’t have saved the Giants offense from being one of the NFL’s worst, but he would have helped it be more productive.
Coach Brian Daboll showed no interest in revisiting that decision.
“I’m just focused on the guys that are here,” Daboll said. “Again, I’ve said this many times before, I’ve got a lot of appreciation and respect for Saquon. We’re going to work as hard as we can this week to prepare for the Eagles.”
It’s hard not to see the juxtaposition coming this weekend. Barkley celebrated his first division title with the Eagles clinching the NFC East. He’s all but clinched his first NFL rushing title and even if the Eagles lose Sunday, he’s back in the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
Meanwhile, the Giants look to avoid a franchise-record 14th loss. A win last Sunday against the Colts brought life into the locker room, but it’s still been one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
The win also knocked them from first to fourth in the draft order. With the Eagles sitting players, another Giants win is possible, but it could slide them further from the top spot.
Slayton said that’s a dilemma more for fans than players. As an upcoming free agent, Sunday means one last chance to leave an impression before he and some of his teammates must figure out their futures in the offseason.
“Obviously, it’s selfish on both ends. On their end, if you’re a Giants fan, you want the highest pick possible,” Slayton said. “On our end, it’s like you got mouths to feed, so at the end of the day, a draft pick’s not going to give you any money, so why would you go out there and put bad film on tape?”
Even with the Eagles sitting Barkley and others, there’s still motivation for the Giants. Since 1970, no Giants team has gone winless in NFC East play for a season; the Giants are 0-5 this season against division opponents.
They’re also not disregarding who the Eagles have on the field.
“A lot of guys are starters,” quarterback Drew Lock said. “Backups are still really good players. Whether it’s a mix of them, it doesn’t matter. Those are great players, best in the world. You’ve got to treat them as such.”
The only difference is one of them will be watching instead of playing. Barkley won’t chase down a record and the Giants are glad to greet him as a spectator Sunday instead of being a part of a possible history-making afternoon.
Notes & quotes: Defensive tackle Armon Watts had knee surgery, Daboll said. Watts was carted off the field last Sunday . . . Micah McFadden, John Michael Schmitz and Evan Neal (rib/hip) did not participate in practice Wednesday.
With Saquon Barkley likely to sit out the Eagles' regular-season finale against the Giants Sunday, it appears that Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing record is safe. A look at the rushing yards leaders, who are all members of the 2,000-yard club:
1. Eric Dickerson, Rams (1984): 2,105
2. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (2012): 2,097
3. Jamal Lewis, Ravens (2003): 2,066
4. Barry Sanders, Lions (1997): 2,053
5. Derrick Henry, Titans (2020): 2,027
6. Terrell Davis, Broncos (1998): 2,008
7. Chris Johnson, Titans (2009): 2,006
8. Saquon Barkley, Eagles (2024): 2,005
9. O.J. Simpson, Bills (1973): 2,003
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
