Mike Tomlin Pays Saquon Barkley Major Compliment In Advance of Sunday's Showdown

The ex-Penn State star is gearing up for his first Battle of Pennsylvania Sunday.

Mike Tomlin during the Steelers' 27–14 win over the Browns on Dec. 8, 2024. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Sunday's Battle of Pennsylvania is bound to inspire acrimony between Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers fans in the Keystone State and beyond, but it's all respect on the field between the Steelers' coach and the Eagles' star.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin ladled praise on Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley's performance—calling him "the most significant acquisition in the NFL in 2024."

Barkley, 27, is averaging an astonishing 124.8 rushing yards per game—the 14th-most in NFL history.

"He’s been dominant, eye-opening at times, obviously. Highlight-reel caliber plays, long runs, touchdowns, etc. It starts there for us," Tomlin said via Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk. "If you can’t minimize him in some way, you’re not even going to position yourself to have a chance to be successful."

If any defense is capable of slowing down the Penn State product, it might be the Steelers—a team that's allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league through Week 14. Still, Pittsburgh's task will not be easy.

"He checks all the boxes in terms of physical talent... He’s good in tight-space areas. He can get downhill. He can lower his pads and run behind his pads. He’s got good lateral abilities. He can make people miss," Tomlin said. “He’s just a really complete player, and obviously been a significant acquisition for them.”

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