Is Nick Sirianni planning to rest Saquon Barkley in final game of regular season?

Nick Sirianni gave update on whether he will give Saquon Barkley rest next week since he's 100 yards away from breaking a historic record.


Is Nick Sirianni planning to rest Saquon Barkley in final game of regular season?

Nick Sirianni and Saquon Barkley (Via WHYY/SBNation)

Despite not having star quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles clinched a playoff spot as well as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. And if there’s anyone who deserves the most credit for it is running back Saquon Barkley. Given the upcoming game holds little significance for the team, the question remains whether head coach Nick Sirianni will opt to rest Barkley. 

Since joining the Eagles, Barkley has been the biggest reason behind Eagles top-ranked offense while leading the league in receiving yards (2,005) and rushing attempts (345). However, now that the Eagles have clinched a playoff berth and divisional title, he is on the quest to break the historic Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards in a single season set in 1984. 

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The running back is just 100 yards short of making history, but one more game to put him at injury risk which the Eagles cannot afford after coming this far with such a winning moment. This leads to the question that Sirianni was asked during his weekly appearance on 94WIP radio about giving rest to his starters in Week 18. 

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I’ll talk to our staff, I’ll talk to the players, I’ll talk to [general manager] Howie [Roseman], I’ll talk to Mr. Lurie. I’ll talk to everybody to try and make sure I’m making the best decision for the football team.

Nick Sirianni said

Additionally, the Philly head coach acknowledged the significance of next week’s game for Barkley, though he did not say it in those exact words. He assured fans that any decision he makes will be in the best interest of both the team and the players. 

Saquon Barkley reflects on success with Eagles while Giants sink to 3-13 record

As glorious as the 2024 season has been for the Eagles’ Barkley, it has been a tight slap on the face for his former team, the New York Giants– whose season ended on such a disastrous note that they are projected to land the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. After securing the NFC East title, the two-time Pro Bowler took a subtle dig at the divisional rivals, the Giants. 

Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley (Image via Open Source/CBS)

“I’m happy. It’s my first hat and T-shirt game. I didn’t even know that was a thing,” said Barkley after winning the divisional title with a 13-3 record. 

The Giants burned the bridges with Barkley after they forced him out, and he landed in Philadelphia. As they struggled to keep up with the season, with a 3-13 record, the Eagles and Barkley built a ten-game winning streak until it snapped in Week 16, but they pulled through in the subsequent week. 

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