Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson will keep the NFL’s single-season rushing record for at least another year.
With the Philadelphia Eagles already in the playoffs, head coach Nick Sirianni announced on Wednesday that some players will be rested for the final game of the regular season against the New York Giants.
Among those sitting out will be star running back Saquon Barkley, who needed 101 yards to break Dickerson’s long-standing record of 2,105 rushing yards set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Eagles (13-3) have already secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC, so health is the team’s priority heading into their season finale against the 3-13 Giants.
“It’s a very special record that’s been standing for a very long time by a great player,” said Sirianni. “But you try to do what’s best for the team. Our goals are to have success and play well in the next game we play.”
Barkley has topped 101 rushing yards in 11 games this season, including a 167-yard performance in Sunday’s 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys. That performance helped him become the ninth player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
On Sunday, Barkley said he would respect Sirianni’s decision about playing in the finale.
“Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said. “If his mindset is, we’ll go out there and try it, I’ll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let’s rest and get ready for this run, I’m all for that, too … I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”
In his first season with the Eagles, Barkley leads the NFL in rushing attempts (345), rushing yards (2,005), and yards from scrimmage (2,283).
Sirianni also mentioned that quarterback Jalen Hurts is still in concussion protocol, and the team has not yet decided who will start against the Giants in light of Kenny Pickett’s rib injury. Either Tanner McKee or Ian Book could take the starting role.
Hurts and Pickett both got injured during the Eagles’ 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders on Dec. 22. Pickett threw for 143 yards in that game and also against the Cowboys before McKee came in, completing 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
In other news, the Eagles also activated tight end Dallas Goedert’s 21-day practice window on Wednesday. Goedert was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 7, a week after suffering a knee injury in the Eagles’ 24-19 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Goedert, 29, had started all nine games he played this season, catching 38 passes for 441 yards and two touchdowns. He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and has since racked up 345 receptions for 4,030 yards and 24 touchdowns in 92 career games (75 starts).
