Saquon Barkley wants to achieve sustained success with the Philadelphia Eagles, and that means seeking out all the help possible—even if it comes from a retired player like Todd Gurley.
Just a few years ago, the entire NFL was mesmerized by Todd Gurley’s elite talent. Unfortunately, severe injuries derailed his career, forcing him to promptly retire in 2022 after just six seasons in the league.
Despite stepping away from the game, Gurley has remained connected to the football world. Recently, Barkley reached out to the former All-Pro—not to gauge a potential return to the field, but to gather insight on mastering the system of the Eagles’ new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion.
“There’s a lot of guys that do it in the system right now, but one guy that I’ve been focused on and talked to him a little over Instagram, Todd Gurley, watching his film,” Barkley said, trying to seek advice from Gurley as he was coached by Mannion from 2015 to 2018. “Obviously it’s a little bit different, but the big years that he had when he was playing and he was healthy, the way that he attacked it.”
Todd Gurley was on a Hall of Fame trajectory
Gurley entered the NFL in 2015 when the Rams were still based in St. Louis. He made an immediate impact on the league, rushing for 1,106 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns en route to earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
He spent five spectacular seasons with the Rams before leaving the franchise in 2020 to join the Atlanta Falcons. While his sudden departure from Los Angeles shocked many fans, it was heavily influenced by his lingering knee issues.
Although Gurley rarely missed time in Los Angeles, the Rams’ front office believed it was only a matter of time before his knee forced an early retirement. Time ultimately proved them right; Gurley played just one season in Atlanta, spent 2021 out of the league, and officially retired in 2022.
For many analysts and fans, Gurley was destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, he never fully recovered from the arthritic fallout of a torn ACL he suffered in college back in 2014, causing one of the generation’s most promising running back careers to fade away prematurely.
The Eagles look to bounce back in 2026
Following a triumphant 2024 season capped by a Super Bowl victory, the Eagles endured a disappointing 2025 campaign. Barkley took home NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors for his historic 2,005-yard rushing season during that championship run, but the team’s offensive efficiency plummeted the following year.
Following Kellen Moore’s departure, the Eagles’ offense lacked the creativity and explosive execution required to dominate the league as expected. Now, with Sean Mannion introducing a Sean McVay-style outside-zone scheme, Barkley is confident Philadelphia can return to championship form in 2026.
