For months, New York Giants fans have had nightmares about today.
Saquon Barkley will suit up vs. his former team for the first time since he joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and everybody knows he’s looked forward to this day from the very second he jumped ship.
With that in mind, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni wanted to make sure that his star running back was grounded and focused.
When asked about his words of encouragement for Barkley, he claimed that he just wanted him to be himself and that if emotions helped him be at his best, then he should, by all means, focus on that (via NFL on ESPN).
“Just be you. If the emotions of the game help you perform, use it. If they don’t, flush it.”
—Nick Sirianni on Saquon Barkley facing his former team 👀 pic.com/r6pdbO2tz1
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 20, 2024
Barkley exhausted all avenues to stay with the Giants for the remainder of his career.
Giants GM Joe Schoen chose QB Daniel Jones over him multiple times, and Barkley reportedly felt disrespected by the way the organization handled his contract situation.
That’s why he didn’t waste the opportunity to join one of their divisional rivals and face them twice a year.
When healthy, Barkley was the undisputed best player on the field for the Giants, week in and week out, and he’s still one of the best running backs in the game.
So far, he’s rushed 91 times for 482 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt.
That’s almost as many rushing yards as the Giants have as a whole (635), and that’s despite the Eagles playing one fewer game than them.
All eyes will be at MetLife Stadium, and it’ll be Barkley’s time to shine.
