Kracz: Eagles Facing a Harsh Saquon Barkley Reality After Loss to Cowboys

PHILADELPHIA, P.A. — Membership fees to the 2,000-yard rusher’s club are coming due for Saquon Barkley.

Perhaps that 2024 season is catching up to him. It was fun in the moment and a big reason the Eagles claimed their second Lombardi Trophy, but now it feels like playing 20 games that season, counting the playoffs—logging 446 carries and 2,504 yards—has taken its toll.

Barkley has played five games this season, and he has three different injuries: a stinger, a hamstring injury, and on Monday night, his back was added to the list. Not many players—maybe not any players—invest more time and money in their fitness regimen than Barkley.

But sometimes that isn’t even enough to fend off injuries, and he wouldn’t be the first running back to find the going more difficult after running for 2,000 yards.

“Every injury is its own injury,” Barkley said after the Eagles lost their fifth straight game on Monday. “For me, it's just unfamiliar territory. I've never really done anything like this to my hamstring. I've had little, small strains and stuff like, but all my other injuries have been, like, football, like someone tackling me or I tore my ACL.”

Saquon Barkley's mind is willing, but his body isn't right now

Now, this isn’t meant to pick on Barkley. Not in the least. He was one of the few who showed heart in what became a 38-21 loss to the Cowboys on Monday night. He knew his team needed a spark, and he tried to ignite it. He nearly did. His mind was willing; his body wasn’t.

Still, Barkley did what leaders do. They give effort then they take accountability.

Saquon Barkley stands with arms out. — Saquon Barkley continues to lead by example, even with the Eagles' campaign veering off the rails. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While many of his teammates, such as Zack Baun, Jalen Carter, and Riq Woolen, declined to talk, Barkley was one of the few who stood tall in the locker room after their fifth straight loss to answer questions, something he did for nearly 15 minutes.

Barkley is battling with everything he has. Maybe he shouldn’t have played, but he tried. He laid it on the line. It added up to 10 snaps, and he touched the ball on nine of them, including the first two the Eagles’ offense ran. He turned a short throw into a 12-yard gain and then ripped off a 29-yard run. He capped it with an 8-yard scoring run that gave the Eagles their first touchdown of the first quarter this season and a 7-3 lead.

It was on that run when Barkley said he felt his hamstring grab. Then, he said, he tried to overcompensate, leading to his back locking up.

“Your back ever locked on you?” Barkley asked a swarm of reporters. “It's like, that's the only way I can explain it. Your body overcompensates. I'm not trying to get too much into the injury, but your body, that's how the body protects itself a little bit; something's a little banged up, so something's gotta work a little harder."

And the position that I play and the thing that I do for a living, you kinda get hit and compressed on it a little bit. So, just gotta do a good job of managing that.
Saquon Barkley on his back

When Barkley has stayed healthy, he has shown he still has juice, a home run hitter in waiting. It’s just that those healthy moments appear to be diminishing.

Or maybe he comes back next year fully healthy, stays that way, and bangs out another 1,000-yard season.

History isn't on Barkley's side

But Barkley's 29 now, and typically NFL running backs don’t get better at that age unless they're a freak like Derrick Henry, who is in the 2,000-yard rushing club with Barkley, along with seven others.

Of the nine to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, Barkley and Adrian Peterson were the second oldest at the time of the feat.

Barkley ran his way into the club at the age of 27. Peterson was also 27 when he did it in 2012. Five of his next seven seasons were plagued with injury. Only Barry Sanders was older when he did it. Sanders was 29. He played one more year after his 2,000-yard masterpiece, then abruptly retired.

“It sucks when it's not going the way you want it to go,” Barkley said. “It's kinda like the school of thought I come from. I truly love this game, and I feel like if you're able to go, sometimes you gotta push your body to the limit, and I'm trying. It's just not responding the way I want it to respond right now, and it sucks because trying to be the best leader I wanna be, and it's hard when you're not able to be out there and perform for your team.”

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