Sunday's divisional matchup between the rival Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants has been highly anticipated due to the return of running back Saquon Barkley to his former home in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Barkley spoke earlier Wednesday about the reunion, telling reporters "There's no hate over there" and that he doesn't anticipate New York fans having much animus towards him.
"That chapter's closed," he said. "I truly don't care no more, and I'm pretty sure fans don't care no more."
Giants players responded to his comments Wednesday, most respectful of their former teammate but focused on beating him and his new team on Sunday.
"Honestly, I think he did a lot of good for this organization," nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II said of Barkley. "But, you know, we got some tough fans ... I'm excited to compete against Saquon for a full game."
Quarterback Daniel Jones, who handed the football off to Barkley for five seasons, said his former backfield mate meant "a lot" to him.
"[He was] a great teammate, great friend, obviously a really good player," Jones said. "I have a ton of respect and appreciation for who he is as a person."
New York beat Philadelphia the last time they met in Week 17 of the 2023 season hardly any Eagles starters were on the field. The Giants have lost 13 of the last 16 meetings, including five straight since 2021.
Sunday's game will have an extra emotional element to the rivalry with Barkley's return to MetLife Stadium, as Lawrence told reporters.
"I appreciate what he did for this organization and who he was as a teammate and a person to me, most importantly," Lawrence continued. "But Sunday is war and he knows that."
