New York Giants legend Tiki Barber had a strong message for Saquon Barkley after he signed with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles in free agency this offseason.
Barber said that Barkley is “dead to me,” when wishing the former Giants running back luck with his new team.
Damn… Legendary #Giants RB Tiki Barber on Saquon Barkley signing with the #Eagles
“You’re dead to us, Saquon. Good luck, you’re dead to me”
😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/f4eh2hE76S
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 11, 2024
Barkley agreed to a three-year deal with the Eagles worth over $37 million. After spending the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Giants, Barkley will now compete alongside Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in a loaded Philadelphia offense.
BREAKING: Saquon Barkley is heading to the Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million deal, per @AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/vqJPxxIlUY
— Ahn Fire Digital (@AhnFireDigital) March 11, 2024
While Barber may be mad at Barkley for joining a division rival, it doesn’t seem like the Giants had much interest in keeping the former No. 2 overall pick. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Giants never made an offer to retain Barkley.
Sources to @BleacherReport: Saquon Barkley’s decision came down to the #Bears, #Texans and #Eagles.
The #Giants never made an offer to retain Barkley, per multiple sources. https://t.co/v3RcVDSuot
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 11, 2024
Barkley, who went to high school in Pennsylvania before attending Pennsylvania State University, is now heading back to his home state.
Last season, Barkley played well for the Giants, rushing for 962 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. The star running back also added 41 receptions for 280 yards and another four touchdowns.
Despite that production, the Giants seemed content with letting Barkley walk this offseason after they failed to franchise tag him. That allowed the two-time Pro Bowler to become a free agent.
During his time with the Giants, Barkley rushed for over 1,000 yards three times. He also had three seasons with double-digit touchdowns (both rushing and receiving combined).
Barber could argue that Barkley didn’t need to land with a division rival, but it’s hard to say that the former Offensive Rookie of the Year needed to have loyalty to the Giants when the team didn’t even offer him a deal to stay.
Now, Barkley should get a chance to compete for a Super Bowl with an Eagles team that made the big game in the 2022 season. Philly took a step back last season, losing in the first round of the playoffs, but it’s possible adding a player like Barkley will lift the team’s offense to new heights in the 2024 season.
The Giants and Eagles will play twice in the 2024 season since they are division rivals, which means Giants fans will get a good look at their former star running back.
