Saquon Barkley Reveals Family Member is Upset Over Eagles' Rest Decision in Week 18

Barkley noted that his father wasn't happy about resting the superstar in the final game of the season.
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball past Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas (30) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball past Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas (30) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The Eagles' decision to rest star RB Saquon Barkley is a controversial yet understandable one, though the newly-minted Pro Bowler revealed that his father is unhappy that his son won't get a chance to break Eric Dickerson's rushing record.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Barkley discussed his lost opportunity with maturity, noting that winning games is the most important thing even if he sounded a bit disappointed himself.

Barkley needs just 101 yards for the record but getting a week to rest up could give Philadelphia's offense a major boost as they enter a gauntlet of difficult potential playoff matchups. Sitting makes sense despite how fun getting the record would be.

Saquon Barkley's Dad is Unhappy With Week 18 Rest Decision

"He definitely wanted me to play," Barkley said. "Selfishly for him, you got to think about it: For however long, if it took a year for someone to break it or another 40-50 years, our last name would have been attached to that. So I see it from that side, too."

To Barkley's credit, he's already part of a historic group who reached 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. He'll forever be remembered for that, finishing with 2,005 (5.8 yards per carry) and 13 TDs while adding 33 catches for another 278 yards and two more scores.

Winning a Super Bowl is more important than individual success, and Barkley clearly seems to understand that.

"At the end of the day, the most important thing is to win football games," Barkley continued. "And he's the one to raise me to about the team, too. So he can have his little selfish moment, but he'll get over it."

Achieving postseason success, which Barkley has never truly experienced, would surely help matters. The Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed after beating the Cowboys in Week 17. They'll host a playoff game but won't get a bye, so Week 18 now becomes that extra week of rest that can make a world of difference this late in the year.

Don't forget that Philadelphia's early Week 5 bye means they've played every week since early October. For a team built on physicality and a strong rushing attack, there's no doubt that some key players are sore and could use some time off.

Getting the record would have put Barkley in the history books, but he'll be forever remembered in Eagles history if he can help hoist a Lombardi Trophy. As it stands, the Eagles have the fifth-best odds (+700) at FanDuel Sportsbook to win it all as they wait to find out who they'll host in the NFC Wild Card round.


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