Saquon Barkley Focused on Return to Lineup

One by one, the questions regarding the exact nature of the ankle injury that kept running back Saquon Barkley out of action came.

But Barkley, known for dodging would-be tacklers on the field, politely declined to offer any details into the exact nature of the low ankle sprain he suffered in a Week 5 loss to Dallas.

Instead, the fourth-year running back focused on the future, where his chances of returning to the Giants lineup after missing four games continue to look more and more positive by the day.

"Feel pretty good. Getting better every day," Barkley said, confirming that he had no setbacks with his surgically repaired knee. "Just continue to get acclimated and take it one day at a time, listen to the training staff, listen to the coaches."

While Barkley wouldn't detail his injury, he did admit that once the MRI of his ankle came back, the original reported 1-2 week time frame was no longer likely.

"When the MRIs came back, obviously we knew it was going to be a little more difficult than we thought," he said. "I’ve just been keeping my head down and coming to work every single day."

Complicating his path back to the field was a false positive COVID-19 test that forced him to miss two days of rehab in the days leading up to the Giants' Week 9 game against the Raiders. But while Barkley couldn't get treatment on his ankle, he did stay in shape by working out in his home gym so that he wouldn't miss out on his conditioning.

These days, Barkley has looked more explosive during the practice periods open to the media, though he admitted to still having a touch of soreness.

"I would say just some soreness when you’re rehabbing and when you’re coming off of an injury, especially an injury where you had to be non-weight-bearing for a little bit," Barkley said.

"There definitely will be some soreness there, but that’s part of football, that’s part of the game that I love to play, and I just have to continue to listen to the trainers, listen to the coaches and trust my body."

Barkley, who is under contract through next season after the Giants exercised the option year on his rookie deal, said he's not worried about how his recent string of injuries might have cost him.

“I can’t control that. A lot of people say, ‘control what you can control’ and that’s what I live by. I spend time with my family, live life, smile, work my butt off. I’m a big believer in no matter what, the things that you want to accomplish, you’ve got to visualize it, you’ve got to work for it,” Barkley said.

“All the things I want to obtain are still out there for me to obtain. That’s how I’ve got to live by it. There are going to be setbacks. There’s going to be adversity – not just as a football player, but in anything you do in life.

“Just because you have a little adversity, little setbacks, doesn’t mean you’ve got to start listening to all the noise. You’ve got to ignore the noise, put your head down and keep working and have faith and have belief that all the hard work that you put in is going to come to light.”

Barkley said he wasn't sure if he'd be on a pitch count Monday night if he plays, but whatever is asked of him, he's ready to step up and deliver.

"I’ve got a ‘C’ on my chest for a reason, be a leader," he said. "I still believe I’m capable of the things that I’ve shown on the field before, so when I’m able to make those plays, when those plays come to me, make those plays and don’t force anything and take it one day at a time, be a leader that I am, and be the playmaker that I know I can be and know that I will be." 

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