‘God gifted him’ – Saquon Barkley MVP case backed by teammate with promise of more to come
The Philadelphia Eagles are flying this season. Nick Sirianni’s team went into their Week 5 bye having won two and lost two games – but haven’t looked back since. The Eagles are in red-hot formGetty Six straight wins later, the Eagles boast a 8-2 record and sit top of the NFC East. They have blown away the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants during the impressive run, and also secured a win over their divisional rivals, the Washington Commanders, last week. Everything seems to be falling into place for Philadelphia, a team looking to make another run to the Super Bowl after coming up short in 2023. Jalen Hurts came out of the bye week firing, and is racking up the touchdowns both through the air and on the ground – despite dealing with an ankle injury. But the real driving force behind Philly’s run in recent weeks has been Saquon Barkley. After swapping the Giants to the Eagles in the offseason, the 27-year-old running back is enjoying his best season to date. Barkley has recorded six games with 100-plus rush yards so far in 2024, already matching the total he achieved with the Giants between 2020 and 2023. He is averaging career highs in rush yards per game, yards per carry and scrimmage yards per game, and is on pace to amass 1,922 rush yards and 2,290 scrimmage yards in 17 games. The stats are great, but his season to date will be remembered by a moment that transcended football altogether against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the second quarter Barkley caught a pass, executed a spin past one defender, then launched himself in the air to avoid Jarrian Jones, hurdling over him backwards. Barkley’s stunning hurdle was seen around the world Sirianni described it after the game as the best play he had ever seen, and the highlight quickly went viral. It has since been added to the popular Madden game. Barkley’s stats – and his highlight play – have seen him enter the NFL MVP conversation. And while his efforts on the field have come as a shock to many fans, teammate Dallas Goedert is far from surprised about what we’ve seen so far. Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, the Eagles tight end discussed Barkley’s impressive work this season. “He’s iconic for sure, to get a play that only you’ve done on Madden is pretty special,” Goedert said. “Saquon has been a huge addition for our offense. He’s an even better guy that makes it fun to be around him in the locker room. “He just wants the best for the team, and individual success comes second to that.” Goedert went on to praise Barkley’s work ethic, suggesting his effort behind the scenes could help him scoop the MVP award. “He’s incredible, he’s a specimen. God gifted him with a lot of abilities, but he definitely puts them to work,” the TE said. “He’s in early, doing treatment, he’s been getting a lot of carries for us. At practice you see him bursting through the lines, just like he does in games. This guy is special. “(Barkley) is an incredible person. He said to me the other day that there has never been a Super Bowl-winning team with MVP at running back. So he’s okay not winning if it can get us a Super Bowl.” Barkley has made a case for MVP this seasonGetty The Eagles have already provided some incredible moments so far this season, but according to Goedert, there is more to come. “It’s not just Saquon. I’m blessed to be around AJ (Brown) and Smitty (DeVonta Smith),” he continued. “At practice, AJ made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen, and it will just be overlooked because it was in practice. “Nobody outside of the building gets to see some of the spectacular plays that get made. They do their fair share during games, but it’s a treat to be in there everyday. “It’s a special thing to be in the building with a group of guys like we have, and see amazing things day in, day out.” talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
The Philadelphia Eagles are flying this season.
Nick Sirianni’s team went into their Week 5 bye having won two and lost two games – but haven’t looked back since.
Six straight wins later, the Eagles boast a 8-2 record and sit top of the NFC East.
They have blown away the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants during the impressive run, and also secured a win over their divisional rivals, the Washington Commanders, last week.
Everything seems to be falling into place for Philadelphia, a team looking to make another run to the Super Bowl after coming up short in 2023.
Jalen Hurts came out of the bye week firing, and is racking up the touchdowns both through the air and on the ground – despite dealing with an ankle injury.
But the real driving force behind Philly’s run in recent weeks has been Saquon Barkley.
After swapping the Giants to the Eagles in the offseason, the 27-year-old running back is enjoying his best season to date.
Barkley has recorded six games with 100-plus rush yards so far in 2024, already matching the total he achieved with the Giants between 2020 and 2023.
He is averaging career highs in rush yards per game, yards per carry and scrimmage yards per game, and is on pace to amass 1,922 rush yards and 2,290 scrimmage yards in 17 games.
The stats are great, but his season to date will be remembered by a moment that transcended football altogether against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the second quarter Barkley caught a pass, executed a spin past one defender, then launched himself in the air to avoid Jarrian Jones, hurdling over him backwards.
Sirianni described it after the game as the best play he had ever seen, and the highlight quickly went viral.
It has since been added to the popular Madden game.
Barkley’s stats – and his highlight play – have seen him enter the NFL MVP conversation.
And while his efforts on the field have come as a shock to many fans, teammate Dallas Goedert is far from surprised about what we’ve seen so far.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, the Eagles tight end discussed Barkley’s impressive work this season.
“He’s iconic for sure, to get a play that only you’ve done on Madden is pretty special,” Goedert said.
“Saquon has been a huge addition for our offense. He’s an even better guy that makes it fun to be around him in the locker room.
“He just wants the best for the team, and individual success comes second to that.”
Goedert went on to praise Barkley’s work ethic, suggesting his effort behind the scenes could help him scoop the MVP award.
“He’s incredible, he’s a specimen. God gifted him with a lot of abilities, but he definitely puts them to work,” the TE said.
“He’s in early, doing treatment, he’s been getting a lot of carries for us. At practice you see him bursting through the lines, just like he does in games. This guy is special.
“(Barkley) is an incredible person. He said to me the other day that there has never been a Super Bowl-winning team with MVP at running back. So he’s okay not winning if it can get us a Super Bowl.”
The Eagles have already provided some incredible moments so far this season, but according to Goedert, there is more to come.
“It’s not just Saquon. I’m blessed to be around AJ (Brown) and Smitty (DeVonta Smith),” he continued.
“At practice, AJ made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen, and it will just be overlooked because it was in practice.
“Nobody outside of the building gets to see some of the spectacular plays that get made. They do their fair share during games, but it’s a treat to be in there everyday.
“It’s a special thing to be in the building with a group of guys like we have, and see amazing things day in, day out.”
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
