Saquon Barkley Says He's Still The Same Player Despite Numbers Dip

PHILADELPHIA – Funny thing about numbers. Saquon Barkley’s are down, but the Eagles’ five wins are the same total they had last year after seven games on their way to the Super Bowl championship.

Barkley insisted on Thursday that he is the same player he was last year when he became the ninth player to run for more than 2,000 yards and set a new NFL record for most rushing yards in the regular season combined with the playoffs at 2,504.

“I’m really not a big numbers guy,” said Barkley. “I was never really good in numbers in school, either. People will use numbers to – what’s the saying? Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t? I don’t get caught up in that.

“I still know what I bring to the table. I do know that we have to be more efficient in the run game and that’s something that we’re focusing on, but at the end of the day, our whole goal is to go 6-2 and win another football game. Whatever that looks like is the only thing that matters.”

Barkley has carried 113 times for 269 yards and three rushing scores for a 3.3 yards per carry average.

Saquon Barkley Is "Same Threat He's Always Been"

Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts at Eagles practice on Aug. 5, 2025. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

"He's definitely the same threat he used to be. I don't think there's any slack in his talent or anything of that nature," said Giants edge rusher Brian Burns. "I don't know what's going on in that building, so I'm not going to speak on that. But to answer your question, there's no slack in his game. So, I don't know why his numbers are down."

You can sense Barkley’s frustration when he gives interviews, which he is always gracious to do. A 100-yard game would certainly help ease that, and would, at least temporarily, end all the questions about why the run game has been in shambles. It’s gotten to the point where Barkley even had to answer a question about all the commercials he is in these days, possibly being a distraction.

“I do a commercial in March, April, May, and when I do it, I have my team make sure that I don’t do anything when I’m working that day, so it would be on my off day,” he said. “So, something that I did in April has no effect on how I run the ball in September or October.”

Barkley is 28 now and he talked in the offseason about perhaps pulling a Barry Sanders-like surprise and walking away from the game before people expect. That’s not what’s happening here, though.

“I feel like I’m still the same player,” he said. “Sometimes it’s how a season works. Teams are doing a great job. We could do a better job executing, but I try my best not to get too caught up in the numbers of the thing. I just stay with my process, and make sure I’m detailed out, in the right position, and try to make plays when they come.”

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