Saquon Barkley was the centerpiece of a storyline pitting two NFC East division rivals against each other during the offseason. Now, Barkley is a Super Bowl champion.
The 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year took to the national stage on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” on Feb. 11 and attempted to put everything in perspective. Barkley went from the forgotten man on the New York Giants to a finalist for NFL MVP on the Philadelphia Eagles.
He racked up 57 yards on 25 carries in Super Bowl 59, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for the most rushing yards in a single season (playoffs and regular season combined).
Saquon Barkley Wants To Be ‘Remembered as an Eagle’
That viral clip of Giants owner John Mara telling general manager Joe Schoen that he would have a “tough time sleeping” if Barkley went to the Eagles was bound to resurface.
Boy, did it. Perhaps in the most embarrassing way when Fallon showed the video on national television, and the audience cheered and laughed along. Predictably, Barkley took the high road.
“That clip doesn’t really display the relationship that I have with that organization, from top to bottom,” Barkley told Fallon.
“They’re the people that brought me in. But after the game, so many guys and people from the organization reached out to me and were super happy. One, for my birthday, and to see me hold that Lombardi Trophy up because they know the hard work that I put in.”
.@saquon reacts to the viral Hard Knocks clip before joining the @Eagles. #FallonTonight #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/PmxZepXsnP
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) February 12, 2025
The Pro Bowl running back wasn’t finished dissecting his thoughts on the clip. He wanted everyone to know — Giants and Eagles fans — how he wanted to be remembered.
Barkley said: “That clip is in the past, and I’m happy to be an Eagle, and I look at it like Marshall Faulk — one of my favorite running backs. You know, he played for the Colts, but he’s remembered as a Ram, so now I’m just trying to be remembered as an Eagle.”
Eagles Players Shotgun Beers on National TV
Barkley wasn’t the only Eagles player to join Fallon on stage. Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts sat next to him on the interview couch, then the entire offensive line came out to shotgun beers in a segment meant as an ode to Barkley’s post-game heroics.
After the game, Barkley had gone viral in the locker room celebration for slamming down a beer in seconds. It looked like he was the fastest chugger, but the superstar admitted to Fallon that he lost the beer contest to Nick Muse, a tight end on the practice squad.
Shot gun. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/7k7l2RyhuP
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 10, 2025
Winning Super Bowls, Being ‘Best of All Time’
Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75 million contract, including a $11.6 signing bonus, to join the Eagles. That offer wasn’t matched or even seriously entertained by the Giants.
After signing it, Barkley didn’t mince words when asked about his goals.
“I want to be the best of all time.”
Now, the 28-year-old is a Super Bowl champion and a 2,000-yard rusher coming off the greatest single-season performance by a running back in NFL history.
“It’s not easy to fight battles on your own,” Barkley told ESPN. “It’s easier to do with help, and it’s important to surround yourself with a great team. I think you see it now, as a player I’m able to be on a great team, and you’re able to see what type of player I am. And that works in life, too.”
