NEW ORLEANS – Saquon Barkley has been named NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months by the Related Press in voting by a panel of fifty media members.
The outcomes have been introduced Thursday night time as a part of NFL Honors on the Saenger Theater, just a few blocks from the place Barkley will play in his first Tremendous Bowl on Sunday night time.
Barkley this yr grew to become the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL historical past. He set an NFL document with seven landing runs of a minimum of 60 yards, and he’s rushed for 442 yards to this point within the postseason with a 6.7 common and 5 touchdowns.
Together with common season and postseason, Barkley has 2,447 speeding yards, 18 speeding touchdowns and a 6.0 common. He wants 30 yards Sunday in Tremendous Bowl LIX vs. the Chiefs to set the NFL document for many mixed speeding yards in a season, together with common season and playoffs. Terrell Davis had 2,476 for the Broncos in 1998.
Barkley is the primary Eagle ever to win NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months, which has been awarded yearly since 1972.
Earlier top-5 placers: Randall Cunningham third behind Roger Craig and Boomer Esiason in 1988 and second to Warren Moon in 1990, Donovan McNabb fourth behind Marshall Faulk, Eddie George and Edgerrin James in 2000, Michael Vick second to Tom Brady and DeSean Jackson fifth in 2010, LeSean McCoy second to Peyton Manning in 2013 and Jalen Hurts third behind Justin Jefferson and Patrick Mahomes in 2022.
Barkley obtained 35 of fifty 1st-place votes together with eight 2nd-place votes, three Third-place votes, three 4th-place votes and one Fifth-place for 406 complete factors. He doubled 2nd-place Lamar Jackson, who received 12 1st-place votes and 183 factors. Derrick Henry, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow every obtained one 1st-place vote.
That is the twenty eighth time a working again has obtained the award. It’s gone to quarterbacks 20 instances and vast receivers 4 instances.
Barkley is the primary to win Offensive Participant of the 12 months in his first season with a brand new workforce since Marshall Faulk in 1999. He was traded from the Colts to the Rams after the 1998 season. The one different participant to obtain the consideration after his first yr with a workforce is Earl Campbell as a rookie with the Oilers in 1978.
Barkley received’t speak about himself with out saluting his offensive line, which regardless of the lack of Jason Kelce paved the way in which for 3,048 speeding yards this yr, Seventh-most in NFL historical past.
“So much love, man, and I know you don’t rush for 2000 yards by yards by accident, and you don’t do it by yourself,” he mentioned Wednesday.
“That’s why I love this sport. It’s the ultimate team sport, and I have the best offensive line in the league and you can make an argument, one of the best offensive lines ever, and I’ll argue with you all day because I firmly believe that. I stand on that. And that’s why I go to the guys every single game, let them know that you guys are the best in the world, so whatever we call, you guys do your job and I’ll go out there and try to make the best plays I can.”
Barkley signed with the Eagles in March after six seasons with the Giants. He made Professional Bowls after the 2018 and 2022 seasons however was by no means a top-5 finisher in Offensive Participant of the 12 months voting.
His years with the Giants have been marked by some spectacular highs – over 1,300 speeding yards in 2018 and 2022, 47 touchdowns, near 300 catches.
However he additionally missed 23 video games with accidents from 2019 by means of 2023, averaged under 4.0 yards per carry in 2021 and 2023 and turned 27 in February, an age the place most working backs are on the downturn of their careers. The Giants solely received greater than six video games as soon as in his six seasons in New York and received only one playoff recreation.
After signing a three-year, $37.5 million contract, Barkley received off to a good begin this yr and after Week 6 he was fourth within the NFL in speeding, averaging 96 yards per recreation. Not unhealthy.
However he took off after that, and in 14 video games since Week 7 he’s averaged 140 yards and 6.1 yards per carry with 14 touchdowns. Together with the postseason, Barkley now has 14 100-yard video games this yr, together with 12 in his final 14 video games. The 14 complete 100-yard video games ties an NFL document additionally achieved by Barry Sanders and Davis.
On Wednesday, Barkley in contrast himself to Faulk, who spent his first 5 seasons with the Colts and was superb however really blossomed right into a Corridor of Famer as soon as he joined Dick Vermeil’s Rams and the Best Present on Earth.
It is an excellent parallel.
“When you come to a place, you want to leave your legacy,” he mentioned. “You need to have an effect. The most effective instance is once you consider Marshall Falk, do you consider the Colts or do you consider the Rams? In order that’s my purpose to be right here and go away my legacy.
“Thankful for what happened the first six years I had in New York but also I still can be in (Eagles Hall of Fame) and have my legacy and be known as a great Eagle.”
Zack Baun, in his first yr with the Eagles, his first yr as a starter and his first yr as an off-ball linebacker, completed Fifth in Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting behind Patrick Surtain II (330 factors), Trey Hendrickson (205), Myles Garrett (162) and T.J. Watt (114).
Baun is the primary Eagles linebacker to position within the high 5 in Defensive PoY voting since Seth Joyner was second to Pat Swilling in 1991.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who engineered the best enchancment to the No. 1 protection in NFL historical past – the Eagles have been twenty sixth final yr – positioned fourth in Assistant Coach of the 12 months voting. He obtained three 1st-place votes and completed behind Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (364), Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores (143) and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (110) with 109 factors.
Subscribe to Eagle Eye anyplace you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Simplecast | RSS | Watch on YouTub
