Retired Giants RB Brandon Jacobs Reveals Who He’s Rooting for in Super Bowl

Jacobs' Super Bowl rooting interest follows the "Once a Giant, Always a Giant" mantra.
Nov 3, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA;  New York Giants former running back Brandon Jacobs before game between the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants former running back Brandon Jacobs before game between the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O'Connor-Imagn Images / Jim O'Connor-Imagn Images
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When retired New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs proudly wore the Big Blue jersey, showing any sort of mercy or support for the opponent was unthinkable, especially if that opponent was in the NFC East.

But this year, Jacobs, perhaps reluctantly, will make an exception, as he revealed on social media that he’ll be rooting for running back Saquon Barkley, now with the Eagles, to win the big game.

“Saquon deserves this one. Unfortunately, it’s for the Eagles, so I am rooting for him,” JAccobs posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). 

“We’ve built a good relationship over the years, so I am riding with my dog Saquon.”

While that might sit well with some Giants fans who still resent Barklet for walking away from the Giatns after claiming to want to be a “Giant for life,” these days, more of the fans’ ire is directed toward Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who after failing to get Barkley signed to a long-term deal in 2023, seemed to take a more passive approach toward negotiating with Barkley during last year’s offseason.

As was shown on Hard Knocks, Schoen decided to let Brkley test the market rather than risk angering the running back by using a second franchise tag on him.

He also miscalculated that no one would drive up Barkley's price by offering him anything north of $13 million per season, which at the time was the franchise tag rate for a running back.

Schoen’s instincts proved wrong. Barkley, who squabbled with the Giants over guaranteed money, took the Eagles offer, while Schoen used the savings to beef up the Giants' offensive line and add pass rusher, Brian Burns.

Barkley, meanwhile, went to the Eagles, who boast one of, if not the best offensive lines in all of football, and he rushed for over 2,000 yards this past season, coming up just shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s rushing yardage record for a single season.

While it no doubt pains Jacobs to root for an Eagles team that has dominated the Giants pretty much every year since 2013, in which they have won 19 out of the last 24 meetings (including the postseason), it’s nice to see Jacobs throw his support behind a fellow Giants alumnus, even if he plays for that team. 


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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.