The Higher Eagles Saquon Barkley Climbs, The More Rare The Air Becomes

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is doing things this season not often done in the NFL, and he is well aware of a record set 40 years ago that is in his sights.

Oct 27, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) reacts after quarterback Jalen Hurts (not pictured) scores a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – The air gets a little thinner for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley the longer this season goes.

The magic number is 2,000, of course, as in rushing yards. There’s more magic in reaching 2,105, which is the NFL record set 40 years ago by Eric Dickerson.

If Barkley rewrites the record, even if it takes him that extra game (Dickerson set his mark in 16 games), he should become the first running back to earn MVP honors since Adrian Peterson in 2012. Even if he makes it to 2,000 in 16 games, an MVP award could be his.

Barkley is well aware of the possible history ahead of him when it comes to Dickerson, even though he was just 13 years old when Dickerson ran into the record books with the Rams.

“I know a lot about Eric Dickerson,” he said. “I know that he has the record. It’s been there for 40 years. Obviously, I’ve heard the talks. I know the number. I know what to get. I kind of messed around with the emotions of how I feel for it. But my mindset is, don’t be scared of it, embrace it. It’s there. Challenge yourself to try to go get it.”

There’s more ahead for him, too.

With 1,890 scrimmage yards, Barkley can reach 2,000, perhaps as early as Sunday evening when the Eagles host the Pittsburgh Steelers. That would make him the first non-rookie to record 2,0000 scrimmage yards in his first season with a team, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (2,429 in 1999 with the Rams), Priest Holmes (2,169 in 2001 with the Chiefs), and Ricky Williams (2,216 in 2002 with the Dolphins).

In Barkley’s rookie season of 2018, he had 2,028 scrimmage yards, so doing it with the Eagles would make him just the fourth player to in NFL history to record 2,000 scrimmage yards with two different team, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson (Rams and Colts) and Marshall Faulk (Rams and Colts) as well as Christian McCaffrey (Panthers and 49ers).

“At the end of the day, the most important thing is winning football games,” said Barkley. “If (records are) in the way while we’re winning football games, then that’s in the way. If it’s not, then it’s not.”

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