Getty Image / Mitchell Leff
Saquon Barkley has established himself as a team legend in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. The running back had a 2000-yard season in the regular season, and had a huge game in the team’s NFC Wild Card Round playoff win over the Packers last week.
On Sunday, Barkley cemented his place in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday with a pair of long touchdown runs in the team’s dramatic 28-22 win over the Rams in the NFC Divisional. And, a quick comment to Jalen Hurts prior to his enormous 4th-down touchdown run will be remembered forever.
Barkley’s first long run of the day was this jaunt.
SAQUON BARKLEY OH MY
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/bh3kTy2IqP— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
Barkley was well over 100 yards in the 4th quarter when the Eagles needed a big play to put extend their lead to two scores. Enter Saquon.
Saquon Barkley now up to 196 rushing yards today. pic.twitter.com/ZLdRrICy9N
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2025
That probably should’ve put the game away. But, Jake Elliott missed the extra point, the Rams scored, got a stop, and ended up just 20 yards from tying the game and having an extra point to take the lead in the final minute of the game. But, obviously, that run went a long way towards the Eagles hanging on.
I don’t know if Saquon loved the defensive alignment on this play or just wanted the rock, but he told Jalen Hurts “I got this” before the run.
Did Saquon Barkley really tell Jalen Hurts, “I got this” before his 78-yard TD run? pic.twitter.com/I8d91UeCd2
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) January 20, 2025
That’s a clip that will live forever in Eagles lore. Saquon Barkley finished with 26 carries for 205 yards and two touchdowns on the day. He had 119 yards against Green Bay last week, and slid down to run clock on what would’ve been a long touchdown run late in that game as well. And, earlier this year, he ran for 255 yards against the Rams in a big Eagles win.
It’s safe to say that Saquon Barkley is the best running back in the National Football League.