‘It wasn’t the easiest decision’: Eagles set to rest Saquon Barkley amid record bid
Saquon Barkley appears to sit out the Philadelphia Eagles’ final regular-season game on Sunday, denying the running back his chance to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season record.
Barkley would finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, just 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.
The Eagles (13-3) clinched the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference, leaving little to play for in Sunday’s home game against the New York Giants.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni refused outright on Wednesday to say which starters would play and which would sit out. He said of Barkley, “He’ll probably be someone who rests.”
Sirianni said he talked to Barkley about his decision in his first season with the Eagles after six years with the Giants.
“I think it’s pretty clear how special this guy is,” Sirianni said.
Sirianni and the Eagles decided that playing Barkley wasn’t worth risking injury to arguably their most valuable player and only the ninth in NFL history to top 2,000 yards in a season.
Win, lose or draw against the Giants, the Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in a wild card playoff game.
Sirianni had said he planned to talk to everyone, including players, coaches, general manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie, before making his decision.
“It wasn’t the easiest decision,” Sirianni said.
Sirianni will likely rest the bulk of the starters — especially quarterback Jalen Hurts, who sat out Sunday’s loss to Dallas with lingering effects of a concussion — to get them rested and healthy before the franchise expects to make a meaningful run to the Super will be. Dish.
Hurts was still in the NFL’s concussion protocol on Sunday and could not practice or play until he was cleared.
With a chase to the Super Bowl on the horizon, Barkley’s record appears to be in shambles.
“In the end, I had to decide what I thought was best,” Sirianni said.
After running for 167 yards in Sunday’s win against Dallas, the 27-year-old Barkley said he wanted the record but would do what was best for the team, even if it meant missing the final game of the regular season. had to sit out the season.
Barkley signed a three-year contract with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed and $37.75 million total, making him the highest-paid running back in franchise history.