Saquon Barkley recently said that, as he doesn’t want to suffer a severe injury, he could retire “out of nowhere.” Now, the running back has made a heartfelt announcement to the Philadelphia Eagles about his career.
Last offseason, Saquon Barkley made a life-changing decision. With the New York Giants failing to offer a favorable contract extension, he looked for a more lucrative deal elsewhere—and the Eagles emerged as a perfect landing spot.
Not only did Philadelphia give him a massive contract, but the NFC East team also provided a legitimate shot at success. Barkley delivered, rushing for over 2,000 yards in his first season with the team and capturing his first Super Bowl title.
Saquon Barkley opens up about reducing workload this offseason
One of the biggest concerns for running backs is the constant risk of injury. Due to the physical toll and high contact they endure in every game—especially elite backs like Barkley—their careers are often shorter than other positions.
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When the Eagles acquired Barkley, he joined a roster with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. But no matter how talented his teammates are, taking on the same heavy workload he’s had throughout his career would only increase the risk of injury.
Recently, possibly out of concern for his long-term health, Barkley stated he might retire “out of nowhere.” However, it now seems that those around him are encouraging a smarter approach to training and recovery.
On Tuesday, Barkley revealed that many people close to him have advised him to lighten his workload this offseason. His situation draws comparisons to Christian McCaffrey, who developed Achilles tendinitis in both legs following an intense 2024 offseason.
Saquon Barkley, running back for the Philadelphia Eagles
“It wasn’t hard because everyone I trust told me basically to sit my a– down for a little bit. . . . You’ve just got to be smarter, right? You have your moments where you go in there and you grind, you push it,” Saquon Barkley said, via Tim McManus of ESPN.com. “But the majority of those days is just mobility, conditioning, doing all the things to get your body in shape to perform at a high level. It was a lot of workload, but my body feels great, so that’s the most important thing.”
Has Saquon Barkley suffered any major injuries?
As mentioned earlier, running backs are particularly prone to injury due to the physical demands of their position. Barkley is no exception—he’s dealt with multiple injuries throughout his career.
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His most serious setback came on September 20, 2020, when he tore his ACL and suffered an MCL sprain while playing for the New York Giants. The injury sidelined him for 14 games that season.
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