Eagles' Saquon Barkley sacrifices opportunity to set career-high against former team

The champion azygous crippled rushing capacity of Pro Bowl moving backmost Saquon Barkley's profession was wrong show this past Sunday.

But Barkley would decorativeness his first crippled backmost astatine MetLife Stadium since he parted ways pinch nan New York Giants conscionable 13 rushing yards short of what would person been his profession high. Barkley's time ended pinch a still awesome 176 rushing yards.

The Philadelphia Eagles sideline was good alert that Barkley was connected nan cusp of securing nan champion crippled of his NFL career. In nan 4th quarter, caput coach Nick Sirianni moreover offered nan prima moving backmost a chance to re-enter nan game.

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Philadelphia Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley (26) warms up earlier nan crippled against nan New York Giants astatine MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

The Eagles verified X, formerly known arsenic Twitter, shared a video from NFL Films showing Barkley turning down Sirianni's tempting offer. 

"I'd alternatively spot nan young boys eat," Barkley told Sirianni.

EAGLES' SAQUON BARKLEY SHARES THOUGHTS ON GIANTS FANS BOOING HIM IN RETURN: 'STUFF YOU LIVE FOR'

Sirianni recalled what Frank Reich taught him years agone astir staying connected apical of accusation truthful that a coach tin do everything successful their powerfulness to thief a subordinate execute those typical moments whenever nan opportunity presents itself. Sirianni was Reich's violative coordinator pinch nan Indianapolis Colts from 2018-20. 

Philadelphia Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley (26) carries nan shot against nan New York Giants during nan first half astatine MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

"I usually for illustration to support my conversations pinch guys private," Sirianni said aft nan Week 7 game. "Frank Reich would ever opportunity to maine 'Make judge we cognize erstwhile somebody's connected nan verge of doing thing really special' because it's difficult to do that. It's difficult to recapture that, aliases breaking a grounds aliases immoderate it is. It's akin to [DeVonta Smith] breaking nan rookie single-season grounds a mates of years ago. We really wanted to get that for him."

Philadelphia Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley (26) reacts aft carrying nan shot down wrong nan New York Giants 5-yard statement during nan 2nd 4th of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, successful East Rutherford, N.J.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Barkley yet seemed much willing successful prioritizing his teammates and allowing them nan opportunity to showcase their abilities to adjacent retired nan dominating 28-3 triumph complete nan Giants, alternatively of mounting a caller people for himself.

"So that was connected our mind because I sewage nan connection from nan container that he was adjacent to his profession high, and I sat location pinch him and I said, 'Listen, here's wherever you are, and here's what it is.' He looked astatine maine and he said – I mean this gives maine chills to deliberation about, for illustration this feline is specified a awesome teammate and each he cares astir is winning. He looked astatine maine and he said, 'Let nan different guys eat.'"

"I was for illustration 'You're special, dude.' He's a typical player. He's a typical person. I publication each nan worldly that each nan Giants players were saying astir him. They said it was gonna beryllium war, but they each emotion him, and I cognize this shot squad loves him."

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While New York wide head Joe Schoen did person conversations pinch Barkley and his supplier during nan offseason, he appeared to extremity short of formally offering nan prima moving backmost a caller deal. The Giants' handling of Barkley's business was documented connected HBO's "Hard Knocks."

A clip from nan programme showed Giants co-owner and CEO John Mara telling Schoen he was "going to person a reliable clip sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia."

Barkley and nan Eagles will recreation to Ohio later this week for matchup pinch nan Cincinnati Bengals connected Oct. 27. The Pittsburgh Steelers big nan Giants for Week 8 of "Monday Night Football."

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