Saquon Barkley has delivered a historic performance in his debut season with the Philadelphia Eagles, far exceeding expectations and cementing himself as one of the league’s elite players. Over the course of 16 games, Barkley amassed an incredible 2,005 rushing yards, earning the title of NFL rushing champion for the 2024 season. His performance also set new Eagles franchise records for both rushing yards and total scrimmage yards in a single season.
Despite these accomplishments, Barkley fell just short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time NFL single-season rushing record, finishing 100 yards behind the legendary mark. He was unable to pursue the record in Week 18, as the Eagles had already secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC, prompting him to sit out the game. Nevertheless, Barkley’s dominance is unmatched this year, finishing the season with 84 more rushing yards than his closest competitor, Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens, who totaled 1,921 yards over 17 games.
The Eagles celebrated Barkley’s remarkable season with a concise yet powerful reaction on social media, posting, “Add it to the resume,” on X (formerly Twitter). This acknowledgment underscores just how pivotal Barkley has been in the Eagles’ success this season.
This campaign stands out as the best of Barkley’s seven-year NFL career. His previous best performance came during his rookie season in 2018, when he was the No. 2 overall draft pick for the New York Giants. That year, he led the league with 2,028 scrimmage yards and earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Now, with the Eagles, Barkley has not only regained his form but taken his game to an entirely new level.
Although he missed the chance to extend his rushing total in the final week of the regular season, Barkley is poised to continue his historic run in the playoffs. The Eagles will host the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers in a wild card matchup at Lincoln Financial Field this weekend. With a kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, all eyes will be on Barkley as he looks to carry his momentum into the postseason and help the Eagles make a deep playoff push.
This season has marked a turning point for Barkley, who has overcome past injuries and challenges to reestablish himself as one of the NFL’s premier running backs. His contributions have been instrumental in the Eagles’ success, and the team is counting on him to deliver in the high-stakes environment of the playoffs. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see if Barkley can continue to build on his stellar season and add another chapter to what has already been a historic year.
