Former NFL MVP shares bold advice for Giants' Saquon Barkley

Former New York Jets quarterback and NFL Most Valuable Player Boomer Esiason generated headlines last month when he said that New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley should've asked for a change of scenery ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline. 

Esiason shared different advice for Barkley during Friday's edition of the WFAN "Boomer and Gio" program. 

"I'm not advocating faking anything or any of that stuff, but if he has any little thing — a tweak to the ankle, the knee, the shoulder, I’m not playing," Esiason said about Barkley, per Lou DiPietro of Audacy. "It’s not worth it. I know he wants to play, but he’s still very young and in his prime, and he still has another contract to sign. The question is whether or not the Giants will do it — but any sort of issue, I’m not playing." 

Esiason was reacting after Barkley told reporters on Thursday that "loyalty means nothing" and that this past offseason showed him "it’s a business at the end of the day." The 26-year-old signed an adjusted one-year franchise tag this past summer after he failed to receive a long-term contract his camp felt matched his worth, and it's unclear if general manager Joe Schoen will again tag Barkley come March. 

NFL Players Association president JC Tretter raised eyebrows ahead of training camp when he suggested players could fake injuries and "find creative ways to build leverage" for reasons related to contract negotiations. With the 2-8 Giants now playing undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito for at least the next couple of games, as long as he's healthy, Esiason hinted that Barkley shouldn't let his current employer run him into the ground. 

"He should be playing, but if there’s any sort of injury, it’s not worth it for him," Esiason added. "He's got to protect himself and he's got to protect his future, because if they're gonna end up giving him the ball 25 to 35 times [per game], the risk of injury just goes up exponentially." 

Barkley has a lengthy injury history and already missed three games this season because of an ankle issue. Time will tell if that ankle or something else sidelines Barkley before an allegedly "tanking" Giants team reaches Week 18.