Saquon Barkley needs 101 rushing yards in Week 18 to break Eric Dickerson’s record for most rushing yards in a single season. The Philadelphia Eagles will play the New York Giants in the final regular-season game, and their star running back has the chance to make history against his former team.
Unfortunately for Barkley, the Eagles have decided to sit their starters in Week 18, and he won’t be able to break the record.
Fans React to Saquon Barkley Not Playing in Week 18
Barkley left the decision to play against the Giants to Nick Sirianni. The Eagles head coach considered what’s important for the team’s overall success: playoff success. He didn’t want any of his star players to get hurt in a meaningless game.
The Eagles’ multi-talented running back didn’t lash out at his head coach for not allowing him to achieve a significant milestone. But fans speculated that Barkley was unhappy with the decision as he didn’t look thrilled while speaking to the media.
Here are some of the reactions from fans on social media:
He doesn’t like it at all. You can see it and hear it.
— Ivan the Great (@Idesofmarch1321) January 2, 2025
“How much did Eric Dickerson pay the Eagles for him to sit??” wrote a fan.
Another fan added, “[Barkley has] Always been humble and put the team first, but deep down, I know he’s hot.”
Another reason to hate srianni https://t.co/mUjVFcg9JZ
— Chuggs (@Chugggs) January 2, 2025
“Barkley should be allowed to go for the rushing record. He’s absolutely earned that even if sitting him is the right “football” move,” said a fan.
If he wanted it he should be able to get it. He's done so much for the team they should do it for him
— Gabe (@_GabeAlt) January 1, 2025
Ring culture ruined sports.
Everyone wants to see the finished product but they hate the road to the finish line.
— Wolf 🐺 (@patientXwolf) January 1, 2025
In 16 games this season, Barkley has rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Dickerson set the record in the 1984 NFL season when he rushed for 2,105 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Some fans on social media often said that if Barkley had broken the record, he would have played one more game than Dickerson did. However, the Eagles’ star rock-toter has 345 carries in 16 games, while the Hall of Famer had 379 carries in the same number of games during his record-setting campaign.
Dickerson averaged 22.1 carries per game, more than Barkley has this season, and the Eagles running back would have had a great shot at breaking the record had he played in Week 18. In the first game that he played against the Giants this season, the 27-year-old star rushed for 176 yards, and it would have been quite poetic for him to achieve such a milestone against the team that allowed him to leave in free agency.
Sirianni made the right decision, but it’s now necessary for the Eagles to go on a deep playoff run this season.
Eagles Could Have a Very Tough Matchup in Wild Card Round
If the current seedings hold, the Eagles will have to play the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round. This will be an extremely tough matchup for Philadelphia as Jordan Love and Co. pulled off an upset in the same round against the Dallas Cowboys last season.
The Packers have an excellent team and have won nine of their last 12 games. Like last season, Love is peaking at the right time, and his team will be tough to beat for any opponent. In his previous six games, the Packers quarterback has thrown for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns, and no interceptions with a passer rating of 108.4.
The Eagles defeated the Packers in Week 1, but it was a one-possession game in which Love got hurt. Philadelphia would have loved to avoid facing Green Bay in the first round, and it’s still possible they could face another team. However, for that to happen, they need a favor from the Dallas Cowboys.
It will be interesting to see how Week 18 will play out as the fans in Philadelphia will have their eyes on the game between the Cowboys and the Commanders.