The moment that Saquon Barkley had in mind when he gave up a little extra money finally is here.
After nearly two years of haggling over a contract with the Giants then discovering that his market valuation was correct at the start of free agency, Barkley decided that chasing Super Bowl rings close to his childhood home was worth not picking the highest bidder and landing further from contention.
Barkley turned down at least two bigger offers to sign a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles, league sources said.
Those other offers, whispered in league circles, led Giants general manager Joe Schoen — who didn’t make any offer last offseason even though Barkley said he’d give his original team a chance to match what he was going to sign — to momentarily think that the Eagles were “out,” as HBO’s “Hard Knocks” revealed.
“The only thing that matters is how you compete as a team,” Barkley said after Wednesday’s practice. “If you don’t have a great team, it won’t matter. I think I’m a prime example of that right now.”
Barkley’s chance to lead the Eagles into Super Bowl LIX and add to one of the all-time great seasons by a free agent who changed teams arrives at 3 p.m.
Sunday when the Commanders visit Lincoln Financial Field in the NFC Championship game.
He took one day last week to look at the bigger picture of being on the cusp of the Super Bowl.
“I let my day be Monday to appreciate it and soak it all in, but washed it at the same time to lock back in and get focused,” Barkley said. “It would be amazing. It’s something that helps with the legacy play, with my name being mentioned and what I want to do and accomplish in this game. That doesn’t happen without taking care of what we’re going to take care of Sunday.”
Barkley needs 125 yards from scrimmage and 148 rushing yards to surpass Terrell Davis as the NFL’s single-season leader in both categories (regular season and playoffs combined).
He rested with other starters in Week 18 despite needing just 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s regular-season rushing record because the Eagles were locked into the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed.
“I’m aware of what the record is — how far or close I am,” Barkley said. “Win and move on. Numbers don’t matter. The only thing that matters is winning.”
The Commanders never have had many answers for Barkley.
Even before he rushed 55 times for 296 yards and four touchdowns in two meetings, Barkley averaged 5.5 yards per carry against the Commanders during a Giants’ career that began alongside Eli Manning.
Mr. Giant never liked facing the Eagles, but he can’t help but pull for Barkley.
“I kind of just root for the quarterbacks, root for Saquon, root for old teammates,” Manning said. “That’s how I watch the game. I’m happy for Saquon. It’s been an unbelievable season. Very deserving of all the success he’s had.’’
Barkley is responsible for 20 percent of all the 50-yard runs in the NFL this season. He already owns the record for most 60-plus yard touchdown runs in a season (five).
“It’s 11-man football to stop this man,” Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said. “And if you don’t do it, you’re going to see those explosive runs which you’ve seen against everybody else.”
Visions of making those big plays in big games simplified Barkley’s decision to pick the Eagles.
