Giants legend rips GM Joe Schoen for not paying Saquon Barkley as Eagles RB dominates in playoffs

On Sunday, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles fended off a valiant fourth-quarter comeback effort from the Los Angeles Rams to beat them 28-22 at Lincoln Financial Field. With the win, the Eagles secured their berth in the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three years.

The snowclad weather made it difficult for quarterback Jalen Hurts to throw the ball, prompting the Eagles to defer to Barkley on offense, and as he has throughout the season, the running back delivered. He finished with 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, including a 78-yard game-winning run. He also caught four passes for 27 yards.

Barkley's 205 rushing yards were the fifth-most and his 232 yards from the line of scrimmage were the sixth-most in a playoff game. While Eagles fans celebrated the running back's historic performance, Giants fans cursed the front office for the umpteenth time for letting him leave for free in the offseason.

Two-time Super Bowl-winning franchise icon Justin Tuck also critiqued the front office for letting Barkley walk for nothing. He voiced his frustration about Giants general manager Joe Schoen's decision to offer the running back a new contract with a post on X, that read:

"And we couldn’t pay this man?"

Saquon Barkley stats: RB closing in on making history

Saquon Barkley's 205 rushing yards against the Rams took his season total to 2,329. It's already the third-best single-season performance by a running back in NFL history.

Hall of Famer Terrell Davis holds the top two spots on that list. He broke Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,212 yards by rushing for 2,331 yards in 19 regular season and playoff games for the Denver Broncos in 1997.

A year later, he ran for 2,474 yards in 19 games and toppled his own record. His incredible campaign helped the Broncos become only the fourth franchise in NFL history after the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

Barkley needs only 146 rushing yards to break Davis' record. He'll have at least one opportunity to etch his name in the history books and could have two if the Eagles beat the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game. It remains to be seen whether the superstar running back can replicate Davis' heroics in rushing for 2,400+ yards and leading his team to a Super Bowl win.