Eagles' "Missing Piece" Continues To Do Good Even After Winning Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles' new record-setter continues to do good things that resonate in a big way.

Feb 14, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) lifts the Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images / Caean Couto-Imagn Images

Jalen Hurts put words to what everyone already knew when it came to Saquon Barkley – he was the missing piece on an Eagles roster built to go to Super Bowls.

The Eagles quarterback was heard on NFL Network’s enlightening mic’d up segment from Super Bowl LIX telling his running back extraordinaire exactly that as the 40-22 blowout of the Kansas City Chiefs was underway and reserves had been inserted.

“Hey, man, that’s you,” Hurts told him. “That’s you. … I know it’s all of us, but you don’t understand the difference you made. You know, we right there. But you like that last piece, man.”

There isn’t anyone in the Eagles locker room who doesn’t like Barkley. Ask anyone inside, and they will tell you that.

“You see a superstar player that can vulnerable and can really be friends with everybody, I think it really showed a lot, more than his play, I’d say,” said right tackle Lane Johnson.

Added guard Landon Dickerson when asked if he agreed with Hurts’ assessment: “Oh yeah, agree 100 percent. He’s one of those guys who can be a huge difference maker on a team. We already had tremendous athletes, but he was just able to come in and take us to that next level.”

It was Barkley who insisted his offensive linemen join him on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon just two days after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans. They weren’t on the stage long, and when they were, they were shot-gunning a beer.

“It says a lot about him,” said Dickerson. “He’s always been real appreciative of the offensive line and we’re appreciative of him. Obviously, he’s a very popular dude. He finds his way to pay it forward to us, keep us involved and let us have some fun, too.”

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley grabs a straw for a drink order at the counter inside Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers in Bensalem on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. / Daniella Heminghaus / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Barkley pays it forward alright.

Upon his return from New Orleans, he served chicken to fans in Bucks County at a local chicken establishment, and just when you think you’ve seen or heard it all about this superstar, he does something else that resonates.

Like at the championship parade. He called on his new friend, Ryan Quigley, to say a few words to the throng of a million-plus surrounding the steps of the Art Museum.

Quigley, a big Eagles fan living outside Philly in Lansdale, Montgomery County, was in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve when someone purposely drove a truck into a throng of people, killing his good friend Tiger Bech. Quigley suffered several broken bones.

He bonded with Barkley and the team when they invited him to the Divisional Round playoff game against the L.A. Rams and returned to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, where he was honored before the opening kickoff.

Quigley was hijacked earlier in the parade when standing behind a barrier, he was spotted by Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, and Dickerson and brought onto their bus before Barkley called him up to the podium to say a few words.

Before introducing him, Barkley spoke about the resiliency of Philadelphians.

“One thing I've learned from being here for a short period of time is that you guys are tough, you guys are resilient, and you guys know how to (bleep) fight,” Barkley said. “No one I know better than that more than my boy Ryan (Quigley)."

Quigley then took the mic.

“This city overcomes everything,” he said. “Say with me, E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles.”

Barkley made it all happen.

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