Giants Country

Former Giants Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney Set to Face Each Other in Brazil

Running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney will try to outduel each other.

Patricia Traina

Aug 1, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) stretches during practice at Lincoln Financial Field.
Aug 1, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) stretches during practice at Lincoln Financial Field. / bill streicher-usa today sports
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For four seasons, safety Xavier McKinney and running back Saquon Barkley were teammates on the New York Giants, Barkley having arrived in New York as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft and McKinney two years later, the Giants’ second-round pick (No. 36 overall) in the 2020 draft.

Together, they endured the ups and downs of being on a struggling Giants franchise, their one shining season being in 2022 when the team made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and won their first postseason game, a 31-24 Wild Card Victory over the Minnesota Vikings, since 2011.

This week, however, the former Giants teammates who departed this past offseason via free agency after spending those four prior seasons squaring off against each other on the practice field will be facing each other in a live game as opponents, Barkley for the Philadelphia Eagles and McKinney for the Green Bay Packers.

"I look forward to playing against Xavier," Barkley told CBS Sports. "Not only is he a great player, but he's a great leader. When we were in New York, the way that he led, the way that he worked–he drives to be great. I know he's doing that over there.”

McKinney still has a lot of respect for his former teammate, telling The Athletic, "He's just dynamic with the ball. He's pretty much all you want a back to do. … He's a special back."

Barkley revealed how he gave McKinney his first “welcome to the NFL” moment during a Giants practice during McKinney’s rookie season.

"In practice, we ran a gap scheme play, and I ran up the middle, and he thudded me up. I kind of got the best of him there,” Barkley said, adding. “He’s probably gonna try to get that back against me."

Barkley will find out soon enough as the Eagles and Packers take to the gridiron in the NFL’s first-ever regular season game to be played in Brazil on Friday, September 6. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. Eastern.

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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.

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