Eagles HC Nick Sirianni makes feelings clear on benching Saquon Barkley for Giants Week 18 game

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has decided to bench star running back Saquon Barkley for the final regular-season game against the Giants. This choice ends Barkley's pursuit of Eric Dickerson's historic rushing record. Barkley is just 101 yards shy of surpassing Dickerson's 40-year-old single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards.

During Wednesday's press conference, Sirianni addressed reporters about his decision to rest Barkley and other key starters for Sunday's matchup.

"It's a very special record that's been standing for a very long time by a great player ... But you try to do what's best for the team," Sirianni said. "When the bye was, how goes are feeling... Our goals are to have success and play good the next game we play."

The Eagles, having locked their playoff spot, will host the No. 7 seed on Wild Card weekend. A victory there would grant them another home game in the divisional round.

Saquon Barkley's historic chase meets modern NFL reality

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - Source: Imagn

Saquon Barkley's 2024 season has already etched his name in NFL history. He joined an elite group as the ninth running back in the league's 105-year history to rush for 2,000 yards.

His average of 125.3 rushing yards per game is the highest in the 17-game era and the most since Derrick Henry's 126.7 in 2020.

The record chase has sparked interesting historical parallels. O.J. Simpson first set the mark with 2,000 yards in 14 games in 1973, averaging 143.1 yards per game. Dickerson surpassed this in 1984, needing 15 games to break Simpson's record with 215 yards in his penultimate game.

"I know we don't really speak about that, but in reality, [O.J.] rushed for 2,000 in 14 games," Barkley told reporters on Sunday. "ED, it took him 15 to do it. So if anything, it's like, why are we even having the conversation?"

Nick Sirianni's choice mirrors past scenarios where individual records met team priorities. Similar to Barry Sanders in 1997 (237 yards shy) and Adrian Peterson in 2012 (who came within eight yards), Barkley's chase adds another chapter.