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Saquon Barkley reveals what 'sucks' about winning the Super Bowl with Eagles

Originally posted on Inside the Iggles | By Gourab Saha | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The confetti has settled. The parade floats are parked. For a Super Bowl champion, the afterglow should be pure bliss. It’s the ultimate victory lap, a permanent smile. But for one Philadelphia Eagle, that championship high has a surprising downside.

It comes with a nagging feeling, an itch that can’t be scratched by a ring. It’s the burden only a winner truly knows.

Saquon Barkley revealed the strange truth. The running back admitted what truly “sucks” about winning it all. "At what point do you wake up and realize, uh-oh, we got to go climb Everest again?" Barkley was asked.

"Two days later, a day later. That's the only thing that sucks about winning the Super Bowl," Barkley said. "You have the parade, the ring ceremony. But maybe it might be different for a guy like BG [Brandon Graham]... But for guys who got to come back and try to do it again. You really don't have that much time." The celebration is fleeting. The mountain has been climbed. Now, they must turn around and climb it all over again.

This mindset is pure Philadelphia. The city thrives on gritty, blue-collar perseverance. This is the same perspective Jalen Hurts preaches. And it stands true for everyone in that locker room. Meanwhile, Barkley’s historic 2,504-yard season cemented his legacy.

It was a year for the record books. However, the glory is quickly replaced by pressure. The Eagles’ Lombardi Trophy feels heavy. The mission is no longer to win one. It is to win another.

Barkley acknowledges it might be different for a veteran like Brandon Graham. For a player nearing the end, soaking it in is everything. But for Barkley and the core returning? The reflection period is brutally short. The NFL machine waits for no one.

But Barkley’s comments aren’t a complaint. They are a declaration of hunger. And that this team is already starving for more.

The Relentless Climb Back

Repeating is the NFL’s toughest task. Since 2004, only two teams have done it. The target on the Eagles' backs is enormous. Every opponent gives them their best shot. And the schedule is a gauntlet designed to break kings. The Eagles must be perfect.

The offensive line has braved through injuries and hiccups during the camp. Meanwhile, key additions have filled roster holes. Howie Roseman’s front office has been shrewd. This isn’t a team that got lucky. This is a meticulously built contender.

Barkley’s addiction to winning is the engine. That relentless drive permeates the locker room. This group isn’t dreaming of a dynasty. They are working to build one, brick by brick. And they know talk is cheap.

Barkley’s honest words reveal a champion’s paranoia. The film from New Orleans is archived. The Eagles’ focus is locked on the future. The plan for a year of domination is set, and it starts with the Cowboys in Week 1.

This article first appeared on Inside the Iggles and was syndicated with permission.

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