As Saquon Barkley slipped on the black hoodie with the Eagles logo and dressed his daughter in the gear of his longtime rival, a new reality set in.
Barkley no longer has to worry about figuring out how to carry the Giants to upsets of the favored Eagles.
He is an Eagle.
“We’ve been on the worse side of the rivalry, I guess you could say, for the past couple years,” Barkley said Thursday afternoon at an introductory news conference.
Really, Barkley needs no introduction in New York or Philadelphia after spending the first six years of his career — one winning season — as the face of the Giants.
Eighteen months of negotiating an extension with the Giants went nowhere, so he agreed Monday to a three-year, $37.5 million free-agent contract with the Eagles.
Barkley, 27, has no regrets about choosing the Eagles over offers from the Texans and Bears. Just about the abrupt way he left.
Reflecting on announcing his own signing with a hastily worded farewell and two Eagles emojis, Barkley said, “I don’t think I really handled it the right way on social media. I think I could’ve gave a proper goodbye.”
Take 2 happened later Thursday, when Barkley wrote on X “to acknowledge all the Giant fans that have supported me and my family over the last six years. When I was drafted here I wanted my impact off the field to rival the accomplishments we had on it, and I can only hope that I came close [to] doing that.”
Calling the past three days a “whirlwind of emotions,” Barkley thanked ownership and the organization, said Giants fans “will forever hold a place in my heart,” and ended on, “the NFL is a business, and I hope that everyone can respect my decision.”
Barkley’s welcome started Thursday when he pulled up to the training complex and new teammate Brandon Graham was waiting to joke with him about how tackling is off limits now.
The Eagles denied all New York-based media access to the news conference.
“I’m just ready to get the business side off of it,” Barkley said. “The last two years, so many people would come up to talk to me about me getting [franchise-] tagged or talk about contracts. Now all that’s done. The business side is done. We can keep the main thing the main thing — and that’s winning football games.”
In addition to guaranteed money that topped any of the Giants’ offers made between November 2022 and the final one in July 2023, the Eagles presented Barkley a chance to play close to his childhood home of Coplay, Pa., where his children can be near their grandparents, in front of fans who rooted for him at Penn State and with the best offensive line and cast of playmakers (Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) of his career.
“At the point I am in my career, to be able to get a fresh start is good,” Barkley said. “I feel like I’m a special player, and I feel like I’ve still got a lot left. I’ve got a lot to prove, and I can’t wait on the field with those guys and show it to the world.”
Barkley averaged 92.1 yards per scrimmage and scored seven touchdowns in nine games against the Eagles, as the Giants went 2-7.
He missed three others as part of his 24 career games missed due to injuries (14 to a torn ACL in 2020).
“When it came to my attention the Eagles were interested in me, I definitely got excited about it,” Barkley said. “Watching from afar, everything they are about, the culture here, the fans here, I’m just happy to be a part of this organization. I’m ready to go.”
