NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saquon Barkley set an NFL single-season rushing record in the Super Bowl, held his young daughter as a torrent of confetti fluttered around them and flashed a smile as he held a Philadelphia newspaper with “CHAMPS!” stamped above his photo.
The Eagles running back then grasped what he really wanted to kiss and hold on this night in the Superdome — what he could only hope was ahead following his tumultuous end in New York that diverted his career down the turnpike to Philadelphia.
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds his daughter Jada after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Eagles won the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy with his family while posing for a photographer after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's daughter Jada looks at the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley smiles after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds his daughter Jada while being interviewed after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The 2,000-yard rusher earned his turn with the Lombardi Trophy.
“She looked prettier in person, I’ll tell you that," Barkley said. “Something that you dream of. I’m just happy to hold it, be able to give it a kiss.”
Barkley finished with a modest 57 yards rushing in Eagles' 40-22 win over Kansas City in the Super Bowl — a paltry number for an elite back who posted seven touchdown runs of 60-plus yards this season — but the total was enough to set the NFL single-season rushing record, postseason included, topping the mark of 2,476 yards set by Terrell Davis.
He ended perhaps the greatest debut season of any free agent in Philadelphia sports history on perhaps the greatest championship team the city has ever seen with 2,504 total yards rushing and 18 rushing touchdowns.
“Hell of a year, right? I couldn’t do it without the big boys up front, everyone on this team. I just appreciate them – the whole Eagles organization," Barkley said. "Of me being a newcomer, welcoming me in with open arms and helping build confidence back in me too. That was definitely helpful.
"It was a hell of a year, but all of the numbers and stats or records are cool, but the best thing is to be able to hold that Lombardi Trophy.”
Barkley, the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, needed only 30 yards to top Davis' total set in 1998 when he helped the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl. Also that season, Davis was the last running back to win Super Bowl MVP.
Barkley ran the ball on the first offensive play of the Super Bowl and finally got the mark after a slow first half on a 2-yard run on the last play of the half. Barkley had 12 carries for 31 yards for a measly 2.6 yards per carry. He averaged 5.8 yards in the regular season.
The Eagles were fine without Barkley’s usually spectacular production. Thanks to two interceptions by the defense and two total touchdowns from Jalen Hurts, the Eagles led the Chiefs 24-0 at halftime.
Barkley had reason to feel festive Sunday, not only setting the record and playing in his first Super Bowl in his first season with the Eagles, he also turned 28.
His 2,005 yards rushing in the regular season made Barkley the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards and he entered the Super Bowl with 2,447 total rushing yards.
Barkley's seven touchdowns of 60-plus yards (that includes the postseason) were a record and he joined Davis as one of only two players in NFL history with at least 400 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a single postseason.
Long reluctant to spend major money on running backs, the Eagles have reaped the rewards and a rewriting of the franchise record book on their $26 million guaranteed leap of faith on Barkley. He has flashed the kind of did-you-see-that plays that fans say are ripped straight from a video game; including a mind-bending backward hurdle that was so foreign to the sport Madden had to release an update to make it possible in its game.
There was nothing virtual about this Lombardi Trophy.
“It's better in person than it is in Madden, I’ll tell you that playing as a kid,” Barkley said. "It’s everything you dream of. I’m just happy to be able to hold it, give it a kiss and be world champs.”
All this after his departure in free agency was chronicled by the documentary series “Hard Knocks.”
In the crucial scene, Giants general manager Joe Schoen told Barkley New York would not make him an offer or stick the franchise tag on him. Rather, the Giants let Barkley test the free-agent market, a move that sent him to an NFC East rival.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” team owner John Mara said to Schoen in the series. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”
Mara might have a tough night getting winks after this Super Bowl.
Stuck at just two career playoff games in six seasons with the Giants, Barkley had arguably the greatest first season of any player in Eagles history. His 2,005 yards rushing (an Eagles record, eighth-most in NFL history) left him only 101 shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s season record of 2,105.
The Eagles rested Barkley in the regular-season finale, denying him the shot to pass Dickerson.
There's no sitting out in the Super Bowl — and now, there's no running back who rushed for more yards in a wire-to-wire season.
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds his daughter Jada after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Eagles won the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy with his family while posing for a photographer after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's daughter Jada looks at the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley smiles after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds his daughter Jada while being interviewed after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
