NFC North giants reportedly came very close to signing Saquon Barkley before his Eagles move
Saquon Barkley reflected on the moment that nearly led him in a different direction from the Eagles after almost signing with another.
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Saquon Barkley (Via A to Z Sports)
Saquon Barkley made the best decision of his career when he agreed to sign with the divisional rival of his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the offseason. Not only did he join the 2,000-yard club, but is also preparing for his Super Bowl debut against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it turns out there was a moment that nearly led him in a different direction.
During the Super Bowl opening press conference, the star running back revealed a team that he came very close to signing, and if he did, things might not have ended so poorly for them. Having the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears were reportedly all in to acquire Barkley and things almost happened until it didn’t.
“It was pretty damn close,” said Barkley when asked about his supposed signing with the Bears via Chicago Sun-Times. “Let’s just say that. It was pretty close.”
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: Before signing with the #Eagles, Saquon Barkley came “pretty damn close” to signing with the #Bears, via @patrickfinley
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 4, 2025
The Bears ended up signing D’Andre Swift. What could’ve been…
Read More Here: https://t.co/hYvcRDHHpw pic.twitter.com/NVl7dqsDdt
Interestingly, since the star pass rusher did not specify the details of why the deal fell through, it raises the question of whether he was attempting to protect the Bears himself. After losing him to Philly, the Bears went ahead with signing D’Andre Swift, who posted the lowest rushing average of his career with 3.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Barkley broke records after joining the elite offensive line of the Eagles, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
Saquon Barkley reflects on offseason choices to join the Eagles
Despite proving to be the best player on the roster, the three-time Pro Bowler felt disrespected by the way things ended with him and the New York Giants. While dealing with the betrayal when the Eagles made the lucrative offer to acquire him, Barkley was a little skeptical at first but in the end, he knew it was the right decision to make.
Me and my family literally had a sheet, we did pros and cons. The only con about Philly was I might get some slack ’cause I played in New York. So, it was a no-brainer for me. The talent that we have here, going against those guys, hearing stories about the organizations, and then most importantly, those big boys up front.
Saquon Barkley said
Even though the upcoming challenge is against a team that not only defeated the Eagles two seasons ago but is also two-time defending champions aiming for an unprecedented three-peat, Barkley is relishing every moment as he heads into Super Bowl LIX.
Related: Eagles’ AJ Brown has a heartfelt message for a Philly fan injured in plane crash
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Pratyusha Srivastava
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