After Week 17, Saquon Barkley was just 101 rushing yards away from topping Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing yards record. Many expected him to play in Week 18 against the New York Giants and create history against his former team.
However, the Philadelphia Eagles have decided to rest their starters, as the game is meaningless for them. The star running back accepted head coach Nick Sirianni’s decision and will finish the season with 2,005 rushing yards in 16 games.
Dickerson publicly expressed that he was not rooting for Barkley to break the award, and LeSean McCoy criticized him for it, as well as head coach Nick Sirianni for sitting him. The Hall of Famer recently spoke about the Eagles star to clarify the situation.
Eric Dickerson Clarifies Comments About Saquon Barkley
Dickerson’s latest comments were directed toward McCoy as he highlighted that he doesn’t hate any running back and is a fan of Barkley.
“I love running backs. I’m a running back. My favorite player was O.J. Simpson,” Dickerson said. “I’ve always said OJ needed 14 games, I did in 15, one extra game. I would never hate on another running back, that’s not me… If he [Barkley] broke the record, brother, I ain’t gonna lose no sleep over that. But am I cheering for somebody to break my record? I don’t think anybody does.”
“If you have a record and you want somebody to break it, that’s on you. I’m different, I’m old school,” Dickerson added. “I’m a Saquon Barkley fan. I never thought he’d reach his potential in New York. I’m glad to see him in Philadelphia, and I’m glad to see him get 2000 yards.”
READ MORE: NFL All-Time RB Season and Career Records
Indeed, many players do not want to get their records broken, but it would have been wise for Dickerson not to say it publicly. Barkley also broke McCoy’s single-season rushing yards record for the Eagles this year, and the current Fox Sports analyst was happy with it.
Fortunately for the Hall of Famer, his 41-year-old record will not be broken in 2024. Barkley had a tremendous season, but he will finish eighth on the list for most rushing yards in a single season.
Here is the top 10:
- Eric Dickerson – 2,105 yards, 1984
- Adrian Peterson – 2,097 yards, 2012
- Jamal Lewis – 2,066 yards, 2003
- Barry Sanders – 2,053 yards, 1997
- Derrick Henry – 2,027 yards, 2020
- Terrell Davis – 2,008 yards, 1998
- Chris Johnson – 2,006 yards, 2009
- Saquon Barkley – 2,005 yards, 2024
- O.J. Simpson – 2,003 yards, 1973
- Earl Campbell – 1,934 yards, 1980
Fans React to Dickerson’s Latest Stance Toward Barkley
Dickerson’s new comments about being a fan of Barkley came after it was confirmed that the Eagles’ star will not play in Week 18. The fans didn’t like the timing of it and called out the legendary Rams running back.
Here are some of the reactions from fans on social media:
Of course he’s talking now that he’s sitting out.
— Nelson (@BelgerNelson) January 3, 2025
“This comes out after he finds out Saquon ain’t playing. It’s a record OG, they are meant to be broken,” said a fan.
Another fan added, “You had this same type of hating a** energy when AP [Adrian Peterson] was on the verge of breaking your record.. just admit you’re a hater & move the f**k around.”
— 🦅 Eagles Central 🦅 (@lianna643703) January 3, 2025
“Too late, we know you’re so damn happy,” wrote a fan.
One fan added, “Cowardly, given how you only said it when the Eagles confirmed they were holding Saquon out of the game. Didn’t have anything to say before that except bashing the man.”
Not hating on ED but the timing on this … come on dude 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/IWc7mULUSb
— brandon ♌️ (@mddog450) January 3, 2025
Barkley has received a lot of support from fans while chasing this record, and he could have broken it had the Eagles allowed him to play in Week 18. Nevertheless, his focus now shifts toward a deep playoff run with his team.
The Eagles have one of the best rosters in the league, and they could win the Super Bowl. Leading his team to a championship will be much more meaningful to Barkley than a personal record, which is why Sirianni didn’t want to risk his and his teammates’ health in a game against the Giants which has no impact on playoff seeding.