Only 256 days after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, running back Saquon Barkley broke the Eagles single season rushing record set by LeSean McCoy in 2013. Barkley would pass 2,000 yards on December 29.
When Barkley signed his monster three-year $37.8 million contract that was criticized by media and fans alike, Eagles fans had hoped that Barkley would be the change they needed on offense.
Luckily for Eagles fans, Barkley was even better than projected.
Barkley finished the season playing in 16 games, having 345 carries for 2,005 yards. Barkley added on 33 receptions for 278 yards totaling 2,283 yards for the ‘24-’25 season.
Barkley made himself known in game one, as the Eagles flew to Brazil to face the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers also acquired a new running back in the offseason, former Las Vegas Raider signed to the Packers for four years $48 million.
Barkley had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown against the Packers, leading the Eagles to a 34-29 win.
Barkley had big game after big game, tallying 1,137 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games with the Eagles, which is the best 10 game stretch of his career. Barkley had a big start in the Eagles 8-2 start however Saquon also had a notable game-altering drop in the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Falcons game.
Despite Barkley’s one mistake in the second game of the season, his best game was yet to come.
Barkley and his fellow Eagles teammate traveled to Los Angeles to face the Rams on November 24.
Barkley steam rolled the Rams running for 255 yards and two touchdowns, gaining his largest run for the season with a 72- yard run.
Barkley was a workhorse for the Eagles in the ‘24-’25 season, bringing home his third Pro Bowl honor.
This is the first Eagles running back where D’andre Swift brought in the honor since the ‘23-’24 season.
Barkley broke the 2,000 yard mark against the Dallas Cowboys on December 29, where Barkley ran for 167 yards.
Barkley was pulled from the game after he broke the 2,000 yard mark.
With one more game to go, against Barkley’s former team the New York Giants, Barkley has the chance to break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record of 2,105 yards which has stood for 42 years.
Controversially, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni decided to sit Barkley along with all the other offensive and defensive starters. Sirianni used the Eagles early bye week as the reasoning for resting his starters in the playoffs.
While Barkley was visibly upset about not having the opportunity to break, Barkley knew that Sirianni was trying to prevent any injury to the starters and have the starters fully rested heading into the playoffs.
While the Eagles won in week 18, the single season rushing record not being broken by Barkley left a sour last in the mouth for Eagles fans.
Many fans and analysts alike argued if the Eagles should have let Barkley attempt to break the record such as Eagles legends Jason Kelce and LeSean McCoy.
Many fans argued to look at week 18 of the ‘23-’24 season where A.J. Brown injured his knee and was out for the Wild card round where the Eagles notably lost 32-9.
Fans argued that the Super Bowl is a more important goal to acquire than trying to break the single season rushing record.
If Barkley would have gotten injured in week 18 trying to break the single season rushing record, it would hurt the Eagles Super Bowl chances by a decent margin.
Barkley and the Eagles played the packers in the Wild Card round and defeated them 22-10, which set up the divisional round game in Philly versus the L.A. Rams.