NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson can breathe easy knowing his single-season rushing record will remain intact for at least another year. The Philadelphia Eagles have announced they'll rest star running back Saquon Barkley in their regular-season finale against the New York Giants, leaving him just short of Dickerson's historic mark.
Barkley will finish his remarkable 2024 campaign with 2,005 yards, making him just the ninth player in NFL history to cross the 2,000-yard threshold. The milestone falls short of Dickerson's 1984 record of 2,105 yards, which has stood for four decades.
The decision comes after Dickerson made headlines expressing his desire to keep the record. "Absolutely not!" Dickerson told USA TODAY’s Jarrett Bell when asked if he wanted to see his record broken. "That doesn't even make sense. Like I told the guy earlier, I don't want nobody to break my record."
Despite his competitive stance on the record, Dickerson hasn't hesitated to praise Barkley's exceptional season. "I'm a Saquon Barkley fan," Dickerson said in comments to TMZ. "I never thought he would reach his full potential in New York. I'm glad to see him in Philadelphia and glad to see him get 2,000 yards."
The Eagles' decision to rest Barkley speaks to their larger ambitions as they prepare for a playoff run. After signing with Philadelphia during the offseason, Barkley has been instrumental in securing the NFC East title, amassing 345 carries for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns. His performance has validated Philadelphia's aggressive pursuit of him in free agency and helped position the team as a serious Super Bowl contender.
While Eagles fans will have to wait until the playoff opener the weekend of Jan. 11 to see Barkley back in action, the team will look to close out their regular season against the Giants this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. A victory would give Philadelphia an impressive 14-3 record as they turn their focus to a more pressing goal: pursuing a Super Bowl championship with their record-setting running back leading the charge.
