Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson clarifies why he doesn’t want Eagles’ Saquon Barkley to break his rushing yards record

Eric Dickerson cleverly explained that if Eagles Saquon Barkley breaks his single season rushing yards record then his numbers would be meaningless and no other RB will bother to chase it anymore.

Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson clarifies why he doesn’t want Eagles’ Saquon Barkley to break his rushing yards record

(L) Eric Dickerson and (R) Saquon Barkley (Image via ESPN/IMAGO)

Saquon Barkley is on the cusp of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing yards record. The Hall of Famer, on the other hand, wants the Philadelphia Eagles running back to fail in his pursuit.

In an interview, the legendary Los Angeles Rams rusher said that he’s happy to see that Barkley is close, but at the same time, he would prefer the record remain intact. The 64-year-old received much flak for his comments.

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On Sunday, the Eagles faced off against NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys for the divisional title. Meanwhile, NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor asked Dickerson to explain the reason behind not wanting Barkley to break his record.

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Well, it’s just common sense… People like to say that records are meant to be broken. I mean like, you don’t have a record then.

Eric Dickerson said.

The six-time Pro Bowler’s words do make sense. His record of 2105 rushing yards in 1984 is still talked about because no player since has been able to cross it. The day someone passes the number, the record will be chalked off and a new one will be written in the NFL history books.

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Saquon Barkley’s phenomenal performance against the Cowboys brings him closer to Eric Dickerson’s record

The two-time Pro Bowler required 260+ in the Eagles’ final two games to cross Dickerson’s record. The Cowboys posed a unique challenge. Despite losing out on the playoffs, the Cowboys had won their last two games and wanted to end the year on a winning note.

Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson clarifies why he doesn't want Eagles Saquon Barkley to break his rushing yards record
Saquon Barkley (Image via ESPN)

However, the Eagles blew them out of the park inside Lincoln Field. Barkley dropped 31 carries for 167 yards as the Eagles ran out 41-7 victors.

Being a fan of the game and the running back position, to reach a milestone and put myself up there with eight other backs that I respect, and some of them I grew up watching, definitely means a lot.

Saquon Barkley said via the Eagles official transcript.

After the Cowboys game, the 27-year-old now has 2005 rushing yards (only the 9th player in history to reach the mark, most recently Derrick Henry for the Tennessee Titans in 2020). He also set the Eagles franchise record of 2,283 yards from scrimmage for the season.

Barkley only needs 100 yards in the Eagles’ final game against the New York Giants. Earlier in the season he logged 17 carries for 176 yards and 1 touchdown against his former team as the Eagles won 28-3.

The Eagles won the NFC East by defeating the Cowboys and are now 13-3, and a win against the Giants will improve their record to 14 victories. They need the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions to slip up but the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers and now sit at the top of the NFC with 14 wins.

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On the other hand, the Lions still have two games in hand, and on the final day, they play against the Vikings, which could decide the NFC’s best team depending on the result of the Giants-Eagles fixture.