Nick Sirianni might’ve dodged a storm… But hold onto your helmets. If the Eagles stumble, the Saquon Barkley decision will be under the microscope. With Barkley sitting out, Philly eked out a win against the Giants. But at what cost? Their RB was this close—just 101 yards shy—of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. Imagine that! But Terry Bradshaw does not have to imagine because he has literally lived through the pain…

Let’s rewind to Bradshaw’s playing days for some perspective. Bradshaw reminisced about a season when Pittsburgh benched him. What did it do? Well, it put a halt in his chase for 2,300 passing yards. That number might sound quaint in today’s 4,000-yard QB era. But back then, it was a big deal. As Bradshaw put it: “Back when football was a little tougher than it is today…”

But the 2.3K YDs short did not sit well with Terry: “I was tiffed,” because there were $2,500 in bonus on the line! He said: “I was devastated!” Nonetheless, gotta hand it to Terry, though. He wasn’t just chasing stats. That year, his Steelers went all the way and bagged a Super Bowl ring. And that’s what is important at the end of the day. Right now, Nick must pray they do.

Analyst Peter Schrager summed it up best: “If they [Eagles] don’t win the Super Bowl, a lot of eyes are going to be raised. If they do, it’ll be seen as a genius move.” Earlier in the week, Barkley did say he was on board with whatever the coach decided. Team first, right?

But let’s be real: if the Eagles stumble in the postseason, fans will have a lot of questions to ask. I mean, what was the need of not letting Barkley chase after the coveted record when you’re not going to accomplish the goal? That’s something to ponder on big time. And Terry, along with others in the FOX panel, did not fail to pinpoint.

Terry Bradshaw believes Eagles did not give a choice to Saquon Barkley

The Eagles clinching the NFC East and locking in the No. 2 seed made week 18 against the Giants feel like a preseason game. Starters sat, including Saquon Barkley, who couldn’t go after the 2,105 rushing yards. WHAT IF he nailed that milestone? Yeah, these ifs, buts, and maybes just don’t work. Nick Sirianni played it safe, resting his workhorse for the playoffs.

Sensible or overcautious? Depends on who you ask. But the ever-straight shooter, Terry Bradshaw, wasn’t thrilled. “They didn’t give him the option,” he said on NFL on FOX. Barkley wanted to chase history, but the Eagles prioritized team health. To be fair, Sirianni had his reasons.

Injuries derailed Philly’s playoff hopes last year, and with Jalen Hurts recovering from a concussion, they couldn’t risk losing Barkley, too. Still, you have to wonder: It was just 100 yds… Couldn’t they have put him on snap control? Guess not. Now, you’d think Barkley would be hurt (devastated, like Bradshaw?). But he wasn’t… Maybe there weren’t any bonuses on the line here. Just kidding!

However, Barkley took it like a pro. “Coach asked me, and we talked. I wanted to do it, but it wasn’t my call,” he said. His focus? The bigger prize: a Super Bowl ring. You can’t argue with that mindset, but fans may feel a little robbed of seeing history in the making.

Ultimately, Sirianni’s call boils down to one thing: playoff glory. If the Eagles soar, he’s the mastermind. If they falter, this decision could be the ghost that lingers. For now, it’s all eyes on the postseason grind.