As the New York Giants ummed and aahed over whether to re-sign star running back Saquon Barkley, Giants owner John Mara uttered a now famous line.
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“I’m going to have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Giants general manager Joe Schoen.
The vision of the conversation was shown on the show “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants”, with New York’s decision not to sign the superstar running back the major storyline of the series’ third episode.
As it turned out, the Giants weren’t able to pony up the necessary money required to pay Barkley and keep him beyond the end of last season.
Why? Well the franchise had committed $US160 million ($250m AUD) to quarterback Daniel Jones.
Essentially, the Giants chose Jones over Barkley, a decision which has aged horribly given Barkley’s subsequent form in Philly and the fact that Jones was released from his deal early.
Despite the running back market not exactly thriving, Barkley was sure to have suitors willing to pay, one of which was the Philadelphia Eagles – fierce division rivals of the Giants.
Much to Mara’s chagrin, the popular Barkley would sign a three-year, $US37.75 million ($26 million guaranteed) with the Eagles, which was more than the Giants were willing to offer.
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It was clear watching that series of Hard Knocks that if Mara had his way, Barkley would stay in New York.
“As I’ve told you. I’m just being honest. I haven’t been around enough players but he’s the most popular player we have by far,” Mara said.
While most Giants fans would have been crushed to see Barkley depart in free agency, it was nothing compared to how they’d feel during the course of this season.
WHAT A SEASON!
Barkley has transformed the Eagles offence with his incredible power, speed and technique.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns with a 5.8-yard average in the regular season and he has continued his devastating form in the playoffs — adding 477 total yards and five touchdowns.
To cap his stellar debut season in Kelly green, Barkley received the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award two days ago.
Already a playoff-calibre team that reached a Super Bowl two seasons ago, Barkley has taken Philly to another dimension.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his season was his ability to turn the game on its head with just one play.
Barkley recorded seven touchdown runs of at least 60 yards or more this season and playoffs. That’s the most in NFL history.
Granted, he does run behind the best offensive line in football, anchored by Australia’s own Jordan Mailata. However, even behind this O-line, not many players in the NFL could do what Barkley did this season.
Now, he’ll get to strut his stuff in the big dance for the first time. And an added caveat? It’ll be Barkley’s 28th birthday.
“I think it’s pretty cool that the Super Bowl lands on my birthday,’’ he said.
“Whether you win the Super Bowl on your birthday or the day after your birthday, it’s such a cool moment, makes you football royalty, it’s something you wanted to accomplish since you were a little kid.”
SALT IN THE WOUNDS
You just know Mara and Giants fans endured the season from hell in 2024.
Not only did their own team perform well below expectations, finishing with a 3-14 record, but they had to see a former favourite son light it up for a division rival.
What should hurt more though is the fact Barkley – despite the team’s lack of success in recent seasons – wanted desperately to remain a Giant.
Barkley spoke about the process with the Giants in trying to come to a reasonable figure, but ultimately general manager Joe Schoen didn’t come to the table.
The running back said he felt “disrespected”.
“I felt like the Giants thought that I was going to go out there and get $9 [million per year], maybe $8 [million per year] or a stretch at $10 [million per year] and then I’ll come back to them, ‘Alright, we got you if you want to come play at $9 [million per year], you come play at $9 [million per year],’” Barkley told The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast.
“I truly think that would’ve gotten it done. I think that’s where they valued me at, or where Joe valued me at. He had a price point where he was willing to pay and he wasn’t going to go over it, so kudos to him for sticking to his gut.
“It’s kind of like a slap in the face [to say], ‘You go see what you are worth, and then if you’re worth that, we’ll see if you’re worth it, and maybe we’ll match it.”
Given it was the second straight year the Giants and Barkley couldn’t come to an agreement, the running back was told by Schoen that he could test the free agency market.
That was a sobering moment for Barkley, who wanted to be a Giant for life.
“It was over after that phone call, in my opinion,” Barkley said of his time at the Giants.
“It was over after that because I never in my heart truly believed they were going to match it, or they only wanted me for a lower price.”
The decision to allow Barkley to leave could be the worst decision in a string of poor ones the franchise has made in recent years.
Not that Philadelphia are complaining.
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