Saquon Barkley wrote his name into the NFL history books on Sunday, becoming just the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season.
Barkley went off against the Dallas Cowboys' defense, finishing the 41–7 Eagles victory with 167 yards on a whopping 31 carries. The big day pushed Barkley’s season total to 2,005 yards on the season, meaning that with 101 yards against the New York Giants next week, he could break Eric Dickerson’s all-time rushing record of 2,105.
After the win, Barkley addressed the possibility of reaching the mark in his team’s final game of the season, and downplayed the potential significance of such a feat.
“I’m not overtly trying to get it,” Barkley told reporters. “I’m not scared of it. I would love to, but we’ve got bigger things we’re focused on. Whether we play next week or rest, I’m fine with that. I didn’t sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record. I want to do something special with the team.”
Barkley was also quick to give credit to his teammates for helping him reach the 2,000-yard mark, saying repeatedly that “You can’t be great without the greatness of others.”
"My name is what comes with the 2K, but I can't do it without my guys."
— NFL on FOX Podcast (@NFLonFOXPod) December 29, 2024
Saquon Barkley after reaching 2,000 yards 🔥🦅 @Eagles pic.twitter.com/dyLFS7KYID
As Barkley hinted at, it’s unclear as to whether or not the Eagles will play their starters next week against the Giants. Currently, the Eagles hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC, and there is a good chance that the outcome of next week’s game will not effect their postseason position.
If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if head coach Nick Sirianni rested his starters in order to prepare for the playoff push.
That said, seeing Barkley on the field with a chance to break the all-time rushing record against the team that let him walk away less than a year ago would be some extremely compelling football.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Saquon Barkley Addresses Possibility of Going for Single-Season Rushing Record.
