Saquon Barkley is tantalizingly close to breaking Eric Dickerson’s 40-year-old single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. He needs just 101 yards with a game left. However, former NFL head coach Rex Ryan believes Barkley should prioritize something else entirely.
Rex Ryan Proposes ‘Bigger Things’ for Saquon Barkley
During an appearance on ESPN’s ‘Get Up,’ Ryan was asked about Barkley chasing Dickerson’s record. The former New York Jets coach responded, “We got bigger things to do. And to me, this team is so set up to make a deep run and to go chase that Super Bowl ring… I want Saquon Barkley fresh for the playoffs, and if he’s fresh for the playoffs, there’s no reason why we can’t win the whole darn thing.”
Ryan pointed the risk of injury, stating, “What would happen if this guy gets banged up? You can’t do that. I need our team to be popping out of our skin to make a playoff run. The record would be great. I would love to have that record. But you know what? I’d much rather have a Super Bowl ring.”
Rex Ryan says he would rest Saquon Barkley instead of prioritizing his pursuit of Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record 👀 pic.twitter.com/QNDJhyQ03B
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 30, 2024
Dickerson himself stated a few days back: “I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not.” He also commented on the 17-game season: “He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football.”
The 64-year-old praised Barkley’s abilities though, saying, “I like him. But I tend to like big backs. He’s not a big back like I was. He’s elusive, he’s tough, he runs hard, he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I think he’s a great player.”
The Eagles have secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, and they have a Week 18 game against the New York Giants. Head coach Nick Sirianni could choose to rest key players like Barkley.
Given his importance to the team’s Super Bowl aspirations, resting Barkley seems like the smartest move, regardless of the record chase. Barkley is having a phenomenal season with the Eagles, rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He also has 33 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns.