Saquon Barkley Still Processing Return To New York With Eagles

The running back spent the first six years of his NFL career with the New York Giants, who drafted him second overall in 2018 but left for their division rivals, the Eagles, in the offseason.

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – Maybe you heard…Saquon Barkley is returning to North Jersey to play the team that drafted him second overall and where he spent the first six years of his career.

The elite running back will play against the New York Giants for the first time in his life, and will do so with the Eagles, who signed him to a three-year contract in the offseason. The game is not in primetime or being televised nationally. It didn’t even draw FOX’s top broadcasting crew. It’s about the same low-key approach way Barkley is taking.

“I don’t want to make it more than it (is),” he said on Wednesday, four days out from Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff at MetLife Stadium. "It’s going to be a fun environment. It’s football. I love being a part of that, especially being a part of the history of these two teams going against each other, especially in this division. It’s a big game, and I’m excited about that.”

Yes, it is a big game. It is the Eagles’ first within the NFC East this year. They are 3-2 and hoping to keep the 2-4 Giants from thinking they have a chance to do much this season.

Other than that, Barkley is still processing it all.

“I’m going to treat it the same (way) I always treat it,” he said. “I’ve always had the mindset where every game’s important, every game’s special. You never know when your last game is going to be. But obviously, there’s some history there for sure, especially going back there. It’ll be interesting."

Saquon Barkley talks with reporters following his first day of training camp with his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles. / By Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Barkley doesn’t believe he will get booed after giving the fane there everything he had for six seasons, finishing fourth on the team’s all-time career yardage list 5,211 yards, behind Tiki Barber, Rodney Hampton, and Joe Morris, though those three played in more games than Barkley.

“This rivalry is so much bigger than what happened in the offseason between me and the Giants, or Hard Knocks,” he said. “This has been going on for a very long time. I’ve been on the other side. I know how Giants fans feel. I don’t know what the environment is going to be like, but I’m excited.

“As a player, as a competitor, you’ve got to welcome these environments and those moments. Whatever it is, I hope it gives me some extra juice, and that I can go out there and perform.”

Barkley said he keeps tabs on his former team and remains close friends with quarterback Daniel Jones. The two talk every week, he said, but not this week.

Watching his former team and some of his former teammates on tape to prepare for them, he admitted, has been a different experience.

“It’s kind of weird watching them from his point of view,” he said. “Obviously, it all starts with 97 (Dexter Lawrence). I don’t think he gets enough credit. I might be biased because of our friendship, but I think he’s the best (defensive tackle) in the league.

“Seeing Dex and how he operates, and how he can impact the game, that’s definitely a focus of ours. Brian Burns, they paid him a lot of money. He’s playing at a high level. All those guys, they have a really good group, and young guys that they brought in.”

His job now is to figure out a way to beat them.

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