Saquon Barkley fires back after Tiki Barber bashes RB for leaving Giants - "You been a hater"

Saquon Barkley is no longer a New York Giant, and he has had to defend himself from a certain angry former franchise face.

On Monday, it was reported that the two-time Pro Bowl running back had agreed to a three-year, $47-milllion contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. In the aftermath of the move, former Giants running back Tiki Barber did not hold back when describing it on WFAN:

"He's dead to us. You're dead to me."

Barkley later responded:

"You been a hater since I got to New York ... don't smile in my face when you see me."

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Why Saquon Barkley's signing is a game-changer for Eagles

The Saquon Barkley signing, in many aspects, represents a massive paradigm shift for the Philadelphia Eagles.

That is according to Tim McManus, team insider for ESPN, who described general manager Howie Roseman's history of not paying top dollar for quality rushers, with LeSean McCoy the last running back to receive a big contract with the team ($45 million over five years). Since then, he has opted to use trades and drafts to bolster the position, from Jay Ajayi to Miles Sanders and most recently D'Andre Swift.

At the same time, Roseman has also had no qualms about letting those players leave in free agency. After a breakthrough Pro Bowl 2022-23 campaign, Sanders joined the Carolina Panthers. Swift has since followed in his footsteps, joining the Chicago Bears after reaching the Pro Bowl in 2023-24.

But what makes Barkley so different that the Eagles gave him a three-year, $47-million contract? The answer, according to McManus, lies in what he contributes on the field:

"The Eagles view him as a multi-threat weapon that excels as a runner, receiver and pass-blocker. The numbers back that up: Since entering the NFL in 2018, Barkley has averaged 98.8 scrimmage yards per game, fifth most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"He has rushed for over 5,200 yards and has more than 2,100 receiving yards with a total of 47 touchdowns over six seasons. He has also ranked sixth as a pass-blocker among running backs the past two seasons."

He also has a very talented cast to work with: quarterback Jalen Hurts, wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert and a stout offensive line that, despite losing center Jason Kelce to retirement, still boasts All-Pros/Pro Bowlers Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson.