Eagles’ Saquon Barkley makes workload preferences clear following massive 436-carry season
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The Philadelphia Eagles leaned on superstar running back Saquon Barkley early and often last season, and the result was a career-high workload that included 345 rush attempts during the regular season, and another 91 during Philly’s four playoff games.
Barkley’s 436 total carries for 2,504 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground will go down in history as one of the top Ironman performances in modern NFL history.
When asked about his massive workload, and what it’s taken to get his body right for the upcoming season, Barkley made his preferences clear: The more carries, the better.
“I feel really good,” Barkley said, via ESPN, as Philadelphia wrapped its one-day minicamp on Tuesday. “I feel like I’m entering my prime.”
In six seasons with the New York Giants, Barkley never carried the ball 300 times during a single regular season. He came close in 2022, when he rushed 295 times for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping the Giants qualify for the NFC playoffs.
Barkley could be poised for another herculean load for the Eagles in 2025, as the depth chart is thin behind him with second-year pro Will Shipley, veteran A.J. Dillon and the newly-signed Keilan Robinson currently the next best options.
From the sounds of it, Barkley wouldn’t want it any other way entering his age-28 season.
“The thing that drives me is the same thing that’s driven me since I was a little kid,” Barkley said. “I’ve said this since I’ve gotten into the league and I don’t mean it in an arrogant way: I want to be the best running back to ever play, or at least one of the best running backs to ever play. The love of the game, wanting to win and wanting to compete and wanting to be great is always going to push me no matter if we win four Super Bowls.”
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Ryan OLeary
Ryan O’Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.
