Big Blue fans probably won't be willingly revisiting last summer's season of Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants anytime soon.
HBO gave fans at a behind-the-scenes look at one of the defining moves of the 2024–25 NFL season: the Giants' decision to let running back Saquon Barkley hit free agency. In a now-infamous clip, general manager Joe Schoen defends his decision while owner John Mara admits he'd "have a hard time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia."
Barkley, of course, did just that, and sleeplessness became the least of Mara's concerns. The former New York running back broke the NFL record for rushing yards for the regular and postseason, helping lead the Eagles to a win at Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Barkley was asked about the clip and his relationship with the Giants during his Tuesday night appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He says he doesn't think the clip's virality is completely fair, because he maintains a strong relationship with many in New York.
“That clip doesn’t really display my relationship I have with that organization from top to bottom,” Barkley said. “They’re the people that brought me in. After the game, so many guys and people from the organization reached out to me and were super happy. One, for my birthday and see me hold that Lombardi Trophy up because they know the hard work that I put in. So, yeah, that clip is in the past and I’m happy to be an Eagle."
Barkley made clear that he still respects the Giants and appreciates the part they played in his career, while being excited that he gets to take this huge leap forward with Philadelphia. He drew a comparison to Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, who won Rookie of the Year (like Barkley) and was a three-time second-team All-Pro with the Indianapolis Colts but cemented his legacy after being traded to the St. Louis Rams.
"I look at it as like Marshall Faulk, one of my favorite running backs, he played for the Colts, but he’s remembered as a Ram. Now I’m just trying to be remembered as an Eagle.”
It's an apt comparison in many ways. Faulk and Barkley were both selected with the No. 2 pick in their respective NFL drafts and won the Rookie of the Year award, but their teams largely struggled. Barkley reached the playoffs once with New York, while Faulk made it twice with Indianapolis before the Colts limped out to back-to-back 3–13 records in 1997 and '98. After he was traded, Faulk helped cement the '99 Rams as The Greatest Show on Turf with a win at Super Bowl XXXIV.
If history continues to echo, Barkley's in for a fruitful career. And the Giants can only hope that they find the success that the Colts did after letting their All-Pro running back leave town.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Saquon Barkley Gave Surprising Reason Why Viral Clip of John Mara, Giants Is Unfair.
