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Eagles Make Controversial Saquon Barkley Decision Amid Pursuit For NFL History

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Jan 1, 2025 1:42 PM ET

Heading into the final week of the NFL season, the stars were aligning for Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley to make major NFL history.

Barkley inked a three-year deal worth $37.75 million with the Eagles before this season after spending the first six seasons with the New York Giants, who drafted him with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Ironically, Barkley is not only having the best year of his career after the Giants let him walk for free, but he also had a chance to make history against his former team in Sunday's regular-season finale.

Barkley is going into Sunday's game with 2,005 yards rushing on the year, a mark that is 101 yards shy of surpassing Eric Dickerson’s record for most rushing yards in a single season (2,105), which he set back in 1984. However, with a chance for history and an opportunity to rub it in the face of Barkley's former team, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni revealed Barkley will rest and not play on Sunday, as confirmed by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"Eagles HC Nick Sirianni told reporters, “We’re gonna rest some guys” Sunday vs. the Giants," wrote Schefter. "There will be no single-season rushing record for Saquon Barkley."

While NFL fans may be a bit disappointed, it's a decision that simply just makes too much sense for the Eagles. They are firmly locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture with no room to move, so there's really no reason to risk Barkley being injured.

While most would have wanted the personal glory, Barkley did tell ESPN prior to Sirianni's decision that he would support it regardless.

"Whatever his decision is, I'm all for it," Barkley told ESPN. "If his mindset is, we'll go out there and try it, I'll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let's rest and get ready for this run, I'm all for that, too. ... I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there. I think we all do."

While he won't have the record for most yards in a season, he did become just the ninth player in NFL history to reach the 2,000-yard rushing mark. Barkley will also have a chance to contend for a Super Bowl for the first time in his career, which is a pretty good consolation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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