Saquon Barkley to sit Sunday vs. Giants as Eagles choose rest over rushing record
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 29: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs off the field after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 41-7 at Lincoln Financial Field on December 29, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/
PHILADELPHIA - It appears Saquon Barkley will not pursue the NFL’s single-season rushing record on Sunday when he and the Philadelphia Eagles face his former team on Sunday.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni spoke to reporters Wednesday afternoon, insisting that the decision had been made to ‘rest some guys.’
Sirianni declined Wednesday to say outright which starters would play and which ones would sit out, saying Barkley will ‘probably be somebody that rests.’ Sirianni said he talked with Barkley about the decision.
As a result, Eric Dickerson’s 40-year-old rushing record will remain intact. Barkley will have to settle with the history he made last Sunday, becoming just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards rushing.
He’ll finish the season with 2,005 rushing yards, 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson’s record.
The Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC so the outcome of their game won’t affect the standings.
Win, lose or tie against the New York Giants, the Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in a wild-card playoff game.
They don’t have a bye so this game is an opportunity for Sirianni to rest most of his starters ahead of the playoffs and avoid risking injuries to key players.
As for Barkley, he previously hinted that he was not particularly focused on breaking the record with the playoffs coming up.
"The way I look at it, if it’s in God’s plan, then it is," Barkley said. "I’m not overly trying to go get it. I’m not scared of it. I would love to, but at the end of the day, also, we’ve got bigger things that we’re focusing on. ... Rest, I’m fine with that, too, because I didn’t come here and sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record. I want to do something special, meaning special with the team."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.