Saquon Barkley accomplishes feat through 12 games only Jim Brown has achieved among RBs in NFL history

There’s no denying the MVP candidacy Saquon Barkley is putting up in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, yet even Barkley is starting to rewrite the record books for his position. Barkley already has the eighth-most rushing yards in the first 12 games of a season in NFL history, but the numbers dive even deeper. 

Barkley is the first running back since Jim Brown in 1963 to have 1,475+ yards rushing and 10+ rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.0+ yards per carry through the first 12 games in a season. In that 1963 season, Brown ended up finishing second in the MVP award voting — finishing with 1,863 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. Brown led the league in both categories and led the NFL in rushing yards per game (133.1) — which was a career high. The NFL played 14-game seasons back then, and Brown set the single-season mark for most rushing yards in a season. 

Can Barkley be like Brown and reset the NFL single-season rushing record? Barkley has 1,499 yards rushing on the season, just 606 yards away from matching Eric Dickerson (2,105) for the most rushing yards in a season. Barkley would need to average 121.2 yards rushing per game to match Dickerson over his final five games — and is currently averaging 124.9 yards rushing per game through 12 games. 

Barkley is on pace to pass Dickerson and finish with 2,123 yards rushing on the season. He also leads the NFL with 147.2 yards from scrimmage per game and has 1,766 on the season. The NFL record is Chris Johnson with 2,509 (2009) and Barkley is on pace for 2,502 — so he would fall 8 yards shy of the record. 

Regardless, Barkley is still having a historic season and one of the best 12-game starts to a season in NFL history. He certainly has a case to be the first running back to win league MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012.