NEW ORLEANS — Saquon Barkley was predictably one of the most sought-after athletes on the Super Bowl Opening Night stage Monday, drawing arguably the largest of the event’s media crowds this side of Kansas City Chiefs icons Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. And it’s not hard to see why: The Philadelphia Eagles running back might already rank among the NFL’s best free agent signings of all time.
How will Barkley fare on the actual Super Bowl LIX stage, this Sunday? Here are three bold predictions:
Barkley moves the chains … by throwing it
Yes, you read that right. Everyone knows Andy Reid and the Chiefs are liable to break out a trick play for a big moment, but Nick Sirianni and Kellen Moore will be determined to prove they’re just as capable of scheming players into unexpected opportunities. In a little nod to Super Bowl LII, when Trey Burton famously threw it to Nick Foles to upset another dynasty, the Eagles pitch it to Barkley on a running back toss, letting the All-Pro loft one to Dallas Goedert after secretly practicing it all week.
Saquon breaks out a birthday celebration
In case you haven’t heard, the Eagles star isn’t just playing for a Lombardi Trophy on Sunday; he’s also celebrating his 28th birthday. It would only be right for the former New York Giants standout to honor the special day once he breaks into the end zone. And that’s exactly what we envision: Barkley cruising past the Chiefs for one of his signature scores, then gathering teammates in the end zone as they pretend to present him with a nice cake — king cake, for New Orleans? — and let him blow out the candles.
Barkley makes history, enters top 10 of all time
Needing only 31 yards to break Terrell Davis’ all-time record for single-season rushing yards, including playoffs, the thinking here is that Barkley will easily eclipse that feat, perhaps as soon as the first quarter. In the end, in fact, we like him to clear 125 yards on the ground, which he’s done seven times this season already. That mark would guarantee him a spot among the top 10 Super Bowl rushing performances of all time, putting him alongside the likes of Thurman Thomas, Emmitt Smith and other greats.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
February 4, 2025 | 11:00 am
