Saquon Barkley set a new NFL single-season rushing record in the Super Bowl, holding his young daughter while confetti floated around them. He smiled as he held a Philadelphia newspaper with “CHAMPS!” printed above his picture.
But what he truly wanted to hold onto that night in the Superdome was the Lombardi Trophy — a dream he had ever since his career took an unexpected turn from New York to Philadelphia.
“It looked prettier in person, I’ll tell you that,” Barkley said. “Something that you dream of. I’m just happy to hold it, be able to give it a kiss.”
Barkley had a modest 57 yards rushing in the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, but his performance was enough to set the NFL single-season rushing record, including the postseason. He surpassed Terrell Davis’ record of 2,476 yards, finishing the season with 2,504 total rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.
He capped what could be the greatest debut season for a free agent in Philadelphia sports history with one of the city’s best championship teams ever.
“Hell of a year, right? I couldn’t do it without the big boys up front, everyone on this team. I just appreciate them – the whole Eagles organization,” Barkley said. “Being a newcomer, they welcomed me in with open arms and helped me build confidence again. That was definitely helpful.”
He added, “It was a hell of a year, but all of the numbers and stats or records are cool, but the best thing is to be able to hold that Lombardi Trophy.”
Barkley, named the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, only needed 30 yards to surpass Davis’ record, which was set in 1998 when he helped the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl. That year, Davis was the last running back to win the Super Bowl MVP.
Barkley ran the ball on the first offensive play of the Super Bowl and reached the milestone with a 2-yard run on the last play of the first half. He finished with 12 carries for 31 yards, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry, far below his regular-season average of 5.8 yards.
The Eagles managed without Barkley’s usual high-level performance. With two interceptions by the defense and two total touchdowns from Jalen Hurts, they led the Chiefs 24-0 at halftime.
On top of setting the rushing record and playing in his first Super Bowl with the Eagles, Barkley also turned 28 that Sunday.
Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards during the regular season, becoming the ninth running back in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards. Heading into the Super Bowl, he had accumulated 2,447 total rushing yards.
His seven touchdowns of over 60 yards (including the postseason) set a record, and he became only the second player in NFL history, alongside Terrell Davis, to have at least 400 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a single postseason.
Saquon Barkley carries the trophy after the winThe Eagles, known for being cautious about spending big on running backs, are reaping the benefits of their $26 million guaranteed investment in Barkley. He has made spectacular plays, some of which fans describe as if they were taken from a video game. One of those plays was a stunning backward hurdle so unusual that the Madden video game had to release an update to include it.
However, there was nothing virtual about this Lombardi Trophy.
“It’s better in person than it is in Madden, I’ll tell you that playing as a kid,” Barkley said. “It’s everything you dream of. I’m just happy to be able to hold it, give it a kiss and be world champs.”
This came after his free agency departure was covered in the documentary series “Hard Knocks.”
In a key moment, Giants general manager Joe Schoen told Barkley that the team wouldn’t make him an offer or use the franchise tag, allowing him to test free agency, which led to his move to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Giants team owner John Mara said in the series. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”
Mara might have a hard time sleeping after this Super Bowl.
After only making it to two playoff games in his six seasons with the Giants, Barkley had what could be considered the best first season for any player in Eagles history. His 2,005 rushing yards set an Eagles record and were the eighth-most in NFL history, leaving him just 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s season record of 2,105.
The Eagles chose to rest Barkley in the regular-season finale, denying him the chance to pass Dickerson’s record.
But in the Super Bowl, there was no resting, and now, there’s no running back with more rushing yards in a full season than Barkley.
