Saquon Barkley is enjoying the plaudits but remains focused on trying to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl.
Barkley had a career night Sunday, setting a franchise record for most single-game rushing yards with 255 and yards from scrimmage with 302.
He ran for two touchdowns as the Eagles beat the Los Angeles Rams 37-20 and left the field with the crowd’s chant of ‘MVP’ ringing in his ears.
Saquon Barkley has set an Eagles single-game rushing record AND career-high with 255 yards‼️@saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/8spJ32UbFz
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 25, 2024
Barkley is third favorite to land the award – behind Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson – with a running back having not claimed it since Adrian Peterson in 2012.
“I love being in that conversation,” he said. “It’s cool and all. But it’s a team sport. And if you told me I can have the year I’m having and win MVP but not win the Super Bowl, or I can have the year I’m having and not win MVP or Offensive Player of the Year and win the Super Bowl, I’m going to take the [second] one.”
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Barkley ‘rewriting his story’ in Philly
Barkley is on pace to rush for 2,151 yards, which would be an NFL record. And he feels the move to Philadelphia is clearly paying dividends.
He added: “A big reason why I wanted to come here, me and my family, my fiancée, had a conversation of, ‘Hey, I think this is a spot where I can kind of rewrite my story and feel like I can show everyone what type of player I feel like I can be and was meant to be.’
“I’m surrounded [by] great players. I don’t want to be lost in that. I wanted to elevate my play because, I keep saying, I can’t be sitting here watching how great Lane [Johnson] is and watching how great A.J. [Brown] is and Jalen [Hurts] — I want to be along with those guys, and making plays, and do something special.”
Sirianni praise
With the win, the Eagles moved to 9-2 for the season and sit atop the NFC East with coach Nick Sirianni singling out Barkley for special praise.
He said: “Saquon is a special player. When you have the type of quickness, lateral movement, that Saquon has, with the ability to accelerate, and the speed to finish, and the power to break through an arm tackle — he has everything you look for in a back.
“He’s been awesome, and he was awesome tonight.”
