Sunday, October 20th is a game that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has circled on his calendar. It will be the first time that he goes back to MetLife Stadium to play against the New York Giants as an opponent.
The No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Saquon Barkley spent the first six seasons of his career with the Giants. When a long-term contract would not be worked out by both sides, he left in free agency.
It was a departure many fans had been preparing for after negotiations failed in the 2023 season. But seeing Barkley in an Eagles uniform is certainly going to sting.
The breakup was not a pretty one, as plenty of comments were shared through the media. However, some fences could start to be mended by some recent actions.
This week, in honor of their 100th season, the Giants began releasing their list of the top 100 players in franchise history. An independent committee of Giants media members and broadcasters held votes.
Coming in at No. 95 on the list was Saquon Barkley. It was a distinction that he was honored to receive, making a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Coming in at Nos. 100-96 were guard Rich Seubert, tackle Brad Benson, fullback Eddie Price, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and defensive back Willie Williams. Just ahead of Saquon Barkley at Nos. 94-91 are nose tackle Erik Howard, safety Terry Kinard, guard Darrell Dess and kicker Lawrence Tynes.
Not surprisingly, some of the reactions to Saquon Barkley being included on the list were negative. Had he signed with any team other than the Eagles, negative reactions certainly wouldn’t have been this strong.
Alas, the negative comments outweighed the positive ones. But, a few fans shared their appreciation for the Penn State product in the comments.
You can be sure that Saquon Barkley will be met with some hostility the first time the Eagles visit the Giants and he is wearing green, not blue. But, as the saying goes, time heals all wounds.
For now, that wound is still pretty new. It could take a little while for Giants fans to forgive Saquon Barkley, who has been the best player for the franchise over the last six years.
