Saquon Barkley seems set to take a seat out the Philadelphia Eagles closing regular-season sport Sunday, denying the working again his likelihood at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season speeding file.
Barkley would end the season with 2,005 yards speeding, simply 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson’s file of two,105 yards set with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.
The Eagles (13-3) clinched the NFC East and the No 2 seed within the convention, leaving little to play for in Sunday’s dwelling sport in opposition to the New York Giants.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined Wednesday to say outright which starters would play and which of them would sit out, saying of Barkley, “he’ll most likely be someone that rests.”
Sirianni stated he talked with Barkley, in his first season with the Eagles after six years with the Giants, about his choice.
“I believe it’s fairly apparent how particular this man is,” Sirianni stated.
Sirianni and the Eagles determined enjoying Barkley was not price risking damage to maybe their most respected participant and solely the ninth working again in NFL historical past to prime 2,000 yards speeding in a season.
Win, lose or tie in opposition to the Giants, the Eagles will host the Inexperienced Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in a wild-card playoff sport.
Sirianni had stated he deliberate to talk to everybody, together with gamers, coaches, normal supervisor Howie Roseman and proprietor Jeffrey Lurie earlier than making his choice.
“It wasn’t the best choice to undergo,” Sirianni stated.
Sirianni probably will relaxation the majority of the starters – notably quarterback Jalen Hurts, who sat out Sunday’s rout of Dallas with the lingering results of a concussion – to get them rested and wholesome forward of what the franchise expects will likely be a significant run to the Tremendous Bowl.
Hurts was nonetheless within the NFL’s concussion protocol on Sunday and couldn’t observe or play till he was cleared.
With a pursuit to the Tremendous Bowl forward, Barkley’s run on the speeding file seems grounded.
“On the finish of the day, I needed to make the choice on what I felt was greatest,” Sirianni stated.
After he ran for 167 yards in Sunday’s win in opposition to Dallas – the 27-year-old Barkley stated, he needed the file, however he would do what was greatest for the crew, even when that meant sitting out the final sport of the common season.
Barkley signed a three-year take care of the Eagles for $26m assured and $37.75m total, making him the highest-paid working again in franchise historical past.
