There still were nearly 11 minutes remaining between the Eagles and Cowboys when superstar running back Saquon Barkley dashed off left tackle and ultimately was chased down and nudged over the sideline by Chauncey Gholston. Barkley gained 23 yards on that particular carry, which meant he’d rushed for 2,005 yards in the 2024 NFL regular season. But what is the matter to be written in bold letters? With one more regular season game to go, he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. But since the Eagles already had the NFC East division title and were locked into the NFC’s No. 2 seed, head coach Nick Sirianni was left with a tough choice.

Indeed, it was not easy for Sirianni to decide whether or not to play Barkley in a meaningless game. After all, the choice was between a dream as big as chasing a Super Bowl to break a 6-year drought for the franchise vs. someone standing on the brink of breaking a league record. For more context, by crossing the 2,000-yard mark, Barkley joined just eight players in the sport’s history, including legends Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, and Dickerson himself. The first NFL rushing title was earned in 1932, so in 92 years only nine guys have achieved this. So Sirianni vacillated initially.

On one hand, he declared, “I’ll talk to our staff, I’ll talk to the players, I’ll talk to (general manager) Howie (Roseman), I’ll talk to (Eagles owner) Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie. I’ll talk to everybody to try and make sure I’m making the best decision for the football team.” But on the other, he pointed out that he played wide receiver DeVonta Smith in the 2021 season finale so he could break DeSean Jackson’s franchise rookie receiving yards record but rested other players. Smith caught three passes for 41 yards in the finale against the Dallas Cowboys to finish with 916 yards on the season and the rookie record.

Well, one can argue if an NFL record can be compared to a franchise record. But in the end, Sirianni went with the safer option. He decided to rest Barkley for the regular season final game. Probably, he could not overlook the factor that even at 4.7 yards per carry, Barkley would have needed to put his body on the line 22 times to achieve the record. Despite all the considerations, it must have been heartbreaking for Barkley. But looks like the other side of his career lighted up as he’s on way to shattering his personal best earnings year.

From not getting a contract extension in New York, Saquon Barkley is set to find himself in a financial windfall a year later with the Eagles. His $37.8M deal with the Phillies not only offers Barkley a secure future. He has tons of bonuses and incentives that could reach up to $3M by the end of this season. With the announcement of the Pro Bowls, the 27-year-old has already earned a six-figure bonus for his record-shattering debut season.

Well, for starters, Barkley is one of the six Eagles selected for this year’s Pro Bowls. So, with his third Pro Bowl honor comes $250,000 in bonuses. Yes, that’s right. Earning second-team in All-Pro rankings or getting a Pro Bowl would have allowed Barkley to activate his $250,000 bonus on his three-year Eagles contract. But that’s not where the bonuses end. Next up is the All-Pro selection, and if the Eagles RB can land a spot in First-Team there, $500,000 more in bonuses will be waiting for him.

Top Comment by Takeheed

No he deserves it it’s sad that he can’t achieve it especially against his birth team

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See, what Barkley has managed to produce in his first season with the Eagles deserves such rewards. The former Giants RB is leading the NFL in rushing yards with 2,005 yards on 345 carries. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year also scored 13 rushing TDs to show what he is truly capable of. Now, by the end of the season, if Barkley finishes as the league’s leader in rushing yards. He would earn an additional $500,000. Barkley can already consider this bonus wrapped up, as Derrick Henry, his closest competitor, only has 1,783 to his name.

For those who are wondering whether his bonuses are limited to his numbers on the gridiron. Then you might be mistaken. Winning the NFC championship game would bag Barkley $250,000. And a possible Super Bowl LIX victory in New Orleans would land him a $500,000 paycheck and his first Lombardi.

While there’s still a chance to earn those bonuses, Barkley is set to miss out on the opportunity to break Eric Dickerson’s 3-decade-old single-season rushing record.

Saquon Barkley ‘down’ but on the same page with Nick Sirianni

Imagine rewriting the NFL history books against your former team that didn’t prioritize you over others. Well, Barkley must have imagined that scenario alongside everyone in the NFL. But, with Jalen Hurts already in concussion protocol, Sirianni’s decision has sacrificed Barkley’s golden opportunity.

“May never get another opportunity like that again. So, I’m down. But at the end of the day. I don’t care for putting the team at risk. He’s the head coach for a reason. He makes those decisions,” Barkley said on, not playing in week 18. Although Barkley could probably live with Sirianni’s decision, his father definitely wanted him to go out there. As shared by Barkley, “He definitely wanted me to play. Selfishly for him, you’ve got to think about it…our last name would have been attached to that. I see it from that side too. He can have his little selfish moment. But he’ll get over it.”

Yes, Barkley didn’t manage to break Dickerson’s record. And he will probably never come this close to snatching the title that none have achieved so far. But that wasn’t the reason he signed with the Eagles in the first place. His eyes remain on the biggest prize that every player in the NFL dreams of, “I didn’t sign here to break Eric Dickerson’s record. I came here to win a Super Bowl.”

“The way I look at it, if it’s in God’s plan, then it is. I’m not overly trying to go get it. I’m not scared of it. I would love to. Rest, I’m fine with that too, because I didn’t come here and sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record. I want to do something special, meaning special with the team,” Barkley had elaborated.

So, let’s see what will happen in the coming weeks. Will Barkley’s sacrifice pave the way for the Eagles to win Super Bowl LIX? Or will Barkley’s sacrifice go in vain if the Eagles fall short of their ultimate goal this season? Only time will tell as Saquon continues to reach new heights in his newfound home.