It’s rare that a player leaves a team and then immediately wins a championship in the first year with his new squad. Yet that’s exactly what Saquon Barkley did, departing the New York Giants after six seasons and heading to another NFC East team in the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants struggled to one of the worst records in the league, while the Eagles finished with the No. 2 seed in the NFC and looked unstoppable en route to the title.
Barkley had his least-effective game of the year in Super Bowl LIX. However, the mere threat of him breaking a long run allowed the Eagles to throw the ball all over the Kansas City Chiefs en route to a 40-22 victory that wasn’t as close as the final score would suggest.
The Eagles know they have a gem in Barkley. And, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they’re rewarding him with a historic contract. Barkley’s new extension is worth $41.2 million over two years, with $36 million guaranteed at signing.
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It’s the first time an NFL running back has ever signed a deal worth more than $20 million per season. Barkley can also earn up to an additional $15 million through reaching certain incentives and escalators.
It might seem like a steep price, but Barkley just pulled off one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen. He piled up 2,005 rushing yards to lead the league, posting an impressive 5.8 yards per carry, and scored 13 touchdowns. Tack on another 278 receiving yards and a pair of receiving scores, and Barkley led everyone in yards from scrimmage, with 2,283 yards on 378 touches. He also only lost one fumble all year, a display of his sure-handedness. All of that led to him winning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Perhaps most importantly of all, he pulled off a move that was so stunning, so out of this world, that it immediately got programmed into the Madden NFL video game franchise. Yep, he avoided one tackle, spun around another, and then hurdled BACKWARDS over a third defender while picking up a few extra yards. We may never see a play like that again.
The Eagles also know they may never see a running back like Barkley on their roster again. And even though he’ll turn 30 by the end of this contract—generally a decline in running backs’ careers—the team is banking on a repeat of this year’s performance over the next two seasons.
With the way Barkley has looked, we wouldn’t bet against him, either.
Source: celebritynetworth.com
