The NFL MVP has become a quarterback-focused award, but Saquon Barkley could and should change this bias.
On Sunday night against the Rams, Barkley showed the world on national television not only how good he is, but how he has elevated the Philadelphia Eagles back into Super Bowl contention.
He rushed for 255 yards on 26 carries in LA, including rushing touchdowns of 70 and 72 yards. His total set a franchise single-game rushing record, a career-high rushing record, and a career-high record for yards from scrimmage with 302 yards.
Barkley signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract ($25 million guaranteed) with the Eagles this past March after spending his first six NFL seasons with the Giants where he won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and was a 2x Pro Bowler.
After the end of last season, the team foolishly decided that Daniel Jones was its future, so they let Saquon walk while giving Jones a four-year, $160 million deal.
While Giants fans ripped the team for the decision, Barkley headed south on Route 95 to Philly and signed with the Giants’ division rival.
Now, Saquon is rushing the Eagles toward the Super Bowl, Jones is jobless and the Giants are at the bottom of the NFL standings and racing the Jaguars for the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
As Giants fans weep, Barkley has single-handedly saved head coach Nick Sirianni’s job.
Only a few short weeks ago, fans were calling for his firing after the team was blown out 16-33 by the Bucs and sat at 2-2.
While getting a healthy AJ Brown back was a big plus, the real turnaround came when Sirianni finally let offensive coordinator Kellen Moore run the show, and Moore promptly directed the offense to literally run through Barkley.
The Eagles have won seven straight games since the loss to the Bucs, and Saquon has led the way with 957 rushing yards (an average of 136.7 per game) and 7 total TDs. This streak also includes five games of 100+ yards rushing and a highlight reel of ridiculous plays by the seven-year pro.
In his best season with the Giants in 2022, he rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 82 rushing yards per game and 18.4 rushing attempts per game in 16 games.
In 11 games with the Eagles, Saquon has rushed for 1,392 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 126.2 rushing yards per game and 20.3 rushing attempts per game. If he continues at this pace, he will finish with 2,149 yards.
The last back to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark was Derrick Henry, who rushed for 2,027 and 17 TDs in 2020. Before Henry came Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 2,097 yards and 12 TDs in 2012. That year, Peterson won NFL MVP, making him the last non-QB to win the award since that year.
Many are pushing for the Bills’ Josh Allen to win league MVP, which would be his first. Others are favoring the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for his third NFL MVP.
They are both deserving candidates. However, if voters can refrain from being enamored solely with quarterbacks, they would recognize what Saquon Barkley is doing and just how valuable he is to the Eagles and the league.
Without Barkley, the Eagles wouldn’t be Super Bowl contenders and Sirianni might be unemployed.
He has changed the culture of the team and has led them to seven consecutive wins. Yet his talents are matched only by his humbleness, as evidenced by his excitement over his teammate’s success and his post after Sunday night’s win over the Rams.
“How bout them boys up front!” posted Barkley, referring to his offensive linemen and the lanes they plowed for him to run through.
Football is a team sport, and quarterback is undoubtedly the most important position on the team.
But this season, Saquon Barkley has shown that running backs can change the trajectory of a season and carry a team. For that, he deserves NFL MVP.
And if you doubt that, just ask the Giants how they’re feeling right now.
