Saquon Barkley is apparently more than tired of hearing critiques about how he runs the football.
Barkley spoke to reporters on Friday, and addressed one reporter’s question about whether he would try to run more “north-south” this season.
The fifth-year New York Giants running back seemed pretty fed up with the topic and used the moment to take a shot at his critics who have never played the position in the NFL.
“This is probably the last time I’m going to speak on this,” Barkley said, via Sports Illustrated’s Dan Lyons. “I know that’s been a conversation…‘He don’t know what he’s doing, he’s just dancing back there.’ I’m really kind of fed up with people who’ve never played the position and try to speak on how I run the football.
“We call them All-Pros with clickers in their hand.”
Barkley is entering a pivotal fifth season with the Giants that could determine whether he gets a big-time contract extension with the team.
After rushing for a combined 2,310 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Barkley missed all but two games in 2020 due to an ACL tear. In 2021, he ran for just 593 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games after spraining his ankle.
Barkley has not backed down from sending messages to his haters in the past. A big comeback season in 2022 might silence those doubters and potentially help turn around a Giants offense that had the second-fewest yards per game (287.3) in the NFL last season.
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