You might think after almost a decade in the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley may have learned not to share every little thought that pops into his head when he’s around the media. You might think he may have learned to hold things back here and there — not everything that flashes in your brain should come out of your mouth.
You might think all of that. You would be wrong.
Barkley was called out over his recent public speculation about retirement by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on “Get Up” on June 11 after Barkley had to walk back talk of quitting football “out of nowhere,” on The Green Light Podcast with former NFL defensive end Chris Long.
“The retirement thing caught a little fire on social media,” Barkley told the media at Eagles minicamp on June 10. “I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon … I don’t have a set date. I want to play this game as long as my body and the Good Lord allows me to.”
Schefter implied Barkley’s back and forth seemed slightly unnecessary.
“You instantly regret saying something like that … Philadelphia’s stress level dropped and (Barkley) is trying to calm the masses,” Schefter said. “He has obviously been thinking about (retirement). He’s just trying to put the lid back on the genie bottle.”
Barkley at ‘Apex Mountain’ in NFL Career After 2024
The Eagles made a historic move with the Super Bowl champion and NFL All-Pro running back on March 4, with Schefter reporting on a historic new contract for Barkley, who became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in 2024.
Saquon is SICK!!!
I’ve never seen a guy jump over someone backwards before in my life.
“Eagles are rewarding Saquon Barkley with a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, per sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account on March 4. “The deal makes Barkley the NFL’s first $20 million+ per-year running back. Barkley also has the ability to earn an additional $15 million in incentives and escalators. The deal includes $36 million fully guaranteed at signing. The Eagles are taking the rare step of extending Barkley one year into his three-year deal — and in the same league year in which they signed him to the initial contract.”
Barkley proved to be the missing piece for the Eagles in 2024 on their run to the Super Bowl, where they dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in a 40-22 win in which they had a 34-0 lead at one point. The Barkley-less Eagles lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl just 2 years earlier.
The Eagles signed Barkley to a 3-year, $37.75 million in March 2024 after he spent the first 6 seasons of his career with the New York Giants, who selected him No. 2 overall in the 2018 NFL draft.
Eagles Won’t Rely So Much On Barkley in 2025
The Eagles likely don’t want to ride Barkley like they did during the 2024 regular season and try to get a more balanced offense going in 2025 — they dealt with injury issues for quarterback Jalen Hurts much of the second half of the season.
They also brought in a much more serviceable backup for 2025 with A.J. Dillon, who signed a 1-year, $1.33 million free agent contract on March 12.
