Saquon Barkley is having the best season of his career in his debut year with the Eagles, and naturally, he has caught the attention of Barry Sanders, a Hall of Famer ball carrier himself.
Barkley had a quiet day against the Steelers in a victory on Sunday, but to make up for it, he received an awesome gift from the former Lions running back. It was one of Barry’s old jerseys, with a powerful message written on the back, along with his signature.
Inside the zero on his number 20, Barry wrote, “To Saquon, I love the fact that you’re showing everyone how valuable you really are.”
— Semper (@Semper152892) December 16, 2024
It’s a message that alludes to the most recent off-seasons, during which running backs have been severely underpaid compared to other positions, leading many to question their true value. But, Sanders is appreciative of Saquon for keeping the elite running back torch alive, showing once again that they are as important as any skill players.
Saquon seemed elated by the gift as well. He captioned the pic of the jersey on his story saying, “@BarrySanders Thank you.” A message he delivered in all caps accompanied by two goat emojis to show love.
Although the back was born in 1997 and never got to watch Sanders play, there’s still plenty of NFL Films footage to marvel at from Big Bad Barry.
The Legend of Sanders
Sanders was one of the greatest running backs the league had ever seen. He made the Pro Bowl and either the first or second All-Pro team in every year of his 10 seasons. He led the league in rushing four times and is only one of eight backs to rush for 2000 yards in a season. Even though Sanders never really came close to a Super Bowl, he’s still a legendary player widely respected among the NFL community.
At the time of his retirement, Barry was still playing at a high level. It came as a shock to many that he had decided to hang up his cleats. But he attributed it to a number of reasons.
Team performance was a big one, as the Lions finished 5-11 in his final season. But Sanders also mentioned that injuries, missing former teammates, and a simple lack of passion for the game all contributed to the decision. Now, he serves as a brand ambassador for his former team.
Barry also works with EA Sports on Madden and several other endeavors. Despite the busy schedule that he must have, Barry still found the time to give an early Christmas present to one of the best running backs in the league right now. Saquon is enjoying the best season of his career after being traded to Philadelphia.
He’s already rushed for more than 300 yards higher than his career high, and there are still three games to go. Saquon currently leads the league in rushing and rushing yards per game. And if the Eagles make a concerted effort, he could join Sanders in the 2000-yard rushing club by season’s end.
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