Josie Chrismer

We all know that the Eagles received a gracious gift from the New York Giants this season…, Saquon Barkley. He has helped us achieve new heights and was the best running back in the league. When his daughter learned that he had been traded to the Eagles, she asked, “Does that mean we are going to win now?” And the answer is yes, they have. 

Drafted in 2018 out of Penn State by the Giants, Saquon has had some impressive seasons. In six years with the Giants, he averaged 868.5 total yards a season, but had not gotten more than 1,312 yards in a season. 

Saquon had 2,504 rushing yards with the Birds this season! Barkley has broken Steve Van Buren’s record from 1949 of the most rushing yards in an Eagles game, and he also broke Terrell Davis’s season rushing record of 2,476 yards. He had 13 rushing touchdowns and averaged 125.3 total yards per game in the regular season. Clearly, he is a fit. He has always been good, but with the Eagles’ offense, he took flight. 

But why is this so significant? Well, running backs used to be one of the most important players in the game. These days, NFL offenses revolve around quarterbacks and wide receivers. In fact, the Eagles traditionally haven’t invested in running backs. But that certainly changed with Saquon. The running game eats the clock and helps them control the game. Saquon Barkley also helps take the pressure off Jalen Hurts and has had some amazing touchdown runs.

Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley also have a great connection. They got along instantly and communicated beautifully on the field. It’s not just Hurts who loves Saquon– it is the whole city of Philadelphia. He wants what is best for his team and is a nice guy. Saquon has many famous moments, but one everyone knows is when he rolled around a defender and backward hurtled over another. Pretty sure he had to get drug tested after that one! Kelly Green number 26 jerseys are almost sold out everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if that is in the top 10 selling jerseys right now. The crowd roars when he gets on the field, especially when he runs for a touchdown. 

Overall it is obvious that Saquon Barkley has lent a helping hand to our Eagles and we do thank the Giants from the bottom of our hearts. We could not be where we are this year without him. A very happy birthday to Saquon, (oh, and Cooper DeJean too)  because they just won Super Bowl LIX!