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Behind a ground attack that simply cannot be stopped, the Philadelphia Eagles are on their way to a second Super Bowl appearance in the last three seasons, and leading the way for the Birds is Saquon Barkley. Barkley may only be in his first year in Philadelphia, but he hasn't wasted any time etching his name into the franchise history book as the most impactful offensive star who has ever donned an Eagles uniform.
Saquon Barkley already has enough capital M Moments this year to be able to make the claim that he's had the greatest season ever by a running back, and not just in Eagles history, but in NFL history. He rushed for 2,000 yards in only 16 games. His backwards hurdle against Jacksonville was arguably the most viral play of the last decade of professional football. He's ripped off seven touchdown runs of at least 60 yards this year, including two in the Divisional Round against the Rams where he was dashing through the snow like he's Saquon Claus.
SAQUON BARKLEY 78-YARD SNOW DAGGER!!😱😱😱😱
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) January 19, 2025
But in the NFL, there's something to be said of absolutes. Just like the Kansas City Chiefs would absolutely solidify themselves as the NFL's greatest short-term dynasty if they become the first team ever to three-peat as Super Bowl champions, Barkley could leave no doubt regarding the weight of his 2024 season if he were to come through with a big-time performance in the biggest game in the sport.
Who is Saquon Barkley competing against for GOAT running back season?
So let's start here… there have been only seven instances in the past where the league's leading rusher in the regular season ended up played in the Super Bowl — Saquon Barkley (this year), Christian McCaffrey (2023), Shaun Alexander (2005), Terrell Davis (1998), Emmitt Smith (1995, 1993, 1992). This isn't a bad place to start if we're trying to figure out who presently holds the title. But let's dig a little deeper.
If we're looking for unique statistical markers to establish a potential GOAT running back season, it feels like if we combine the stats from both the regular season and postseason, if a running back got to 2,000 rushing yards, 20 total touchdowns and a Super Bowl appearance in the same year, they should be on the shortlist of contenders for this distinction. With that being the case, we're down to just six seasons:
-Saquon Barkley (2024) – 2,447 rushing yards, 20 total touchdowns
-Shaun Alexander (2005) – 2,116 rushing yards, 30 total touchdowns
-Terrell Davis (1998) – 2,476 rushing yards, 24 total touchdowns
-Terrell Davis (1997) – 2,331 rushing yards, 23 total touchdowns
-Emmitt Smith (1995) – 2,071 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns
-Emmitt Smith (1992) – 2,049 rushing yards, 23 total touchdowns
With all due respect to Shaun Alexander, a loss (and so-so performance) in Super Bowl 40 knocks him out of contention. That's not to say that a loss to the Chiefs would immediately disqualify Barkley, but again, we're looking for absolutes here. A win on February 9th — Barkley's 28th birthday, by the way — leaves no doubt. Just like a pair of seasons from Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis left no doubt.
The title right now probably belongs to Terrell Davis. He was named Super Bowl MVP in Denver's first championship season — rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers — and was the regular season MVP the following year, leading the Broncos to a second consecutive Super Bowl title. Take your pick of which of those two seasons you prefer. But the important thing here is that Saquon officially has TD in his crosshairs.
Will Super Bowl 59 be the night Saquon Barkley becomes immortal?
There's something to be said of the way that Saquon Barkley rescued an Eagles team that appeared to be on the brink of a catastrophic blow-up only one year ago. Remember, the Eagles made Super Bowl 57, started the following season 10-1, and then lost six of their final seven games, culminating with a lifeless 32-9 loss in the Wild Card Round that was preceded by stories of dysfunction within the locker room.
Philly fans spent a solid year clamoring for Nick Sirianni to end up in the metaphorical guillotine, and week after week everybody questioned whether Jalen Hurts was a quarterback who could lead a team to a Super Bowl. And that's where Saquon entered the picture on a 3-year, $37 million deal that may end up being one of the biggest steals in recent free agent history.
For a second, let's just set aside the fact that Barkley became just the sixth player in league history to rush for 2,000 yards. Yes, that's an accomplishment worth celebrating, but what may be even more remarkable is that Saquon's broad shoulders and massive quads were able to carry the weight of a team that had been sinking prior to his arrival. He didn't just provide the Eagles with a consistent home run threat — he changed the culture in Philadelphia.
When Barkley appeared to be cruising to a career high in rushing yards back in Week 7 against his former team, the New York Giants, he instead opted to sit out the majority of the 4th quarter to give other Eagles backs some run. After eclipsing 2,000 yards in Week 17, Barkley left the game and sat out in Week 18 to preserve himself for the postseason. When Will Shipley scored his first career rushing touchdown in the final minutes of the NFC Championship Game, Barkley was the first player on the field to celebrate with him.
Time after time, when Jalen Hurts stole goal line touches from Barkley, the All-Pro back never flinched. Never pouted. Never said a word. And now the Eagles are Super Bowl bound.
Barkley's case would benefit from the fact that if the Eagles win the Super Bowl and if Saquon is the game's MVP, he'd be doing so against one of the greatest sports dynasties of the last quarter-century. If that's how things turn out, it's an absolute. There's nobody who can make a stronger case than Saquon Barkley for having the best season by a running back in the long history of the NFL.
