Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley did not hold back when calling out NFC East rivals Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders for their lack of interest in him during last year's NFL free agency
In fact, they showed zero interest.
“Never heard a word from the Commanders or Dallas,” Barkley told Twitch streamer Janky Rondo during DeVonta Smith’s annual charity softball game.
“That’s why it’s BTA [belt to ass] when I see them,” he added.
Saquon Barkley says that the #Commanders did not reach out to him when he was a free agent
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) June 28, 2025
“Nah, never heard a word from Commanders or Dallas. That’s why it’s BTA when I see them”
(via:_jankyrondoclips on TikTok) pic.twitter.com/C35QkO2jrL
It's their loss, obviously.
Unlike the New York Giants and those other NFC East rivals that made a big mistake, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman aggressively pursued Barkley and did not hesitate to pay up. Roseman inked Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million deal with $26 million fully guaranteed. That level of commitment sent a clear message that the Eagles saw Barkley as a difference-maker, and it worked out in their favor.
Barkley finished the 2024 regular season with 2,005 rushing yards on 345 attempts and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also hauled in 33 receptions for 278 receiving yards and two more scores. Those numbers were enough to earn him the 2024 NFL's Offensive Player of the Year Award, and helped the Eagles reach a Super Bowl.
His outstanding season was also enough to earn him a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension with Philly, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. His latest deal includes $36 million fully guaranteed at signing and up to $15 million in incentives, averaging $20.6 million per year, the first time a running back has surpassed the $20 million annual mark.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better for Barkley, his impressive backward hurdle ended up landing him on the cover of NFL Madden 2026. The wild move went viral, and now it’s front and center on one of the biggest video games in sports.
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