Saquon Barkley officially put himself in the MVP conversation with a historic performance Sunday.
The Eagles running back – who had already recorded plenty of remarkable moments in 2024 – rushed for 255 rushing yards to set a team record and help Philadelphia beat the Los Angeles Rams 37-20 at SoFi Stadium.
Barkley averaged 9.8 yards per rushing attempt and scored two touchdowns on the ground while also catching four passes for 47 yards against the Rams. He reached the 255-yard rushing mark with an electric 72-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to extend Philly’s late lead.
Barkley became the first player in NFL history with at least 250 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in the same game, according to Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports.
However, the running back says the choice is clear if it comes down to winning an individual accolade or team trophy this season.
“I love being in that (MVP) conversation,” Barkley said postgame, according to ESPN’s Tim McManus. “It’s cool and all. But it’s a team sport. And if you told me I can have the year I’m having and win MVP but not win the Super Bowl, or I can have the year I’m having and not win MVP or Offensive Player of the Year and win the Super Bowl, I’m going to take the (second) one.”
With the remarkable performance, the superstar tailback now has 1,392 yards on the ground in 2024 and is on pace for 2,151 yards, which would break the NFL single-season rushing record. The all-time mark belongs to Eric Dickerson, who rushed for 2,105 yards in 1984.
Only eight running backs have topped 2,000 rushing yards in a single season, with Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry putting up 2,027 in 2020 as a member of the Tennessee Titans being the most recent. Henry praised Barkley on social media Sunday.
Barkley signed with the Eagles this past offseason after six standout seasons with the New York Giants. He previously topped 2,000 scrimmage yards by leading the NFL with 2,028 as a rookie in 2018. Injuries then prevented the former No. 2 pick from replicating that success in the following years.
Barkley has elevated his game as a member of the Eagles. He posted one of the most spectacular plays in recent memory for the franchise with a reverse hurdle against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Penn State product will now also be remembered for an all-time great Eagles performance.
You can view the original article HERE.
