Saquon’s 2024 stats are video-game material. Regular season? 2,005 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, just 101 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s all-time record. In the NFC Championship, Barkley added another masterpiece to his résumé—118 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and a 60-yard sprint that had Eagles fans chanting “MVP! MVP!”, and Giants fans weeping in the corner.
The Giants might as well have been the real villains in Barkley’s early NFL story. He played six seasons with occasional impressive performances, but failed to reach the championship level indicated by the Lombardi Trophy. The numbers from Barkley’s career don’t automatically label him a legendary player, however, his talent remains unmistakable.
During his six-year tenure with New York, the player accumulated 5,211 rushing yards and scored 47 touchdowns although he dealt with injuries and a subpar offensive line.. Fast-forward to his Eagles debut, and he’s now sitting on 2,005 rushing yards for the season. As Sherman bluntly put it, “It’s because the Giants were wasting him. They was wasting his best years.”
Slay on Saquon: “We call him Black Jesus around here.” pic.twitter.com/83WNWIwnbV
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) January 28, 2025
Let’s crunch the numbers. During his Giants tenure (2018–2023), Barkley racked up 5,211 rushing yards, 35 touchdowns, and 2,100+ receiving yards. But between injuries and lackluster offensive support, he was often stuck in second gear. Fast-forward to 2024 with the Eagles. Barkley’s now a certified game-changer, tearing through defenses like they owe him money.
Including the playoffs, Barkley is now just 30 yards shy of Terrell Davis’ postseason record of 2,476 total rushing yards, set during Denver’s 1998 Super Bowl run. And Philly’s seven rushing touchdowns in the NFC title game? That’s an NFL playoff record. Barkley’s stats have transformed him from an under-used Giant to a cornerstone Eagle. Now he’s one win away from the Super Bowl glory he’s always dreamed of.
The whole playful exchange set the stage for a deeper conversation about Saquon Barkley’s brilliance and his rough ride with the New York Giants. From Wasted Talent to Black Jesus. Slay’s reaction? A mix of awe and frustration.
Saquon Barkley: From wasted talent to ‘black jesus’
Picture this: Darius Slay, Eagles’ All-Pro cornerback, sprawled on the bench, finally sipping water after a grueling 17-play drive. “I was so excited he scored, but then again, I was so mad that he scored so fast. We just had a 17-play drive. I’m like, he’s gonna send us back out there. God damn it.” Even Richard Sherman, NFL legend and the podcast’s host, couldn’t resist chiming in: “Y’all had an 18-play drive.” Slay laughed and replied, “Seven minutes off the clock. I just hit the water. Next thing you know, it’s a tud. I’m lit, gonna celebrate, but I’m like, ‘Slay, save your energy. We gotta go back out here’.”
Slay wrapped it up with heartfelt admiration: “Man, me and my homeboys used to talk about running backs. And I’d say, you’re safe with Saquon. Seeing him every week, it’s like a highlight reel. That man is so good. Training camp? He caught a screen, stuck his foot in the ground, boom, gone. I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, Saquon’s going for 2,000.’”
SAQUON ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
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— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2025
They weren’t done hyping Barkley: “Second big run against the Rams? Man put the linebacker in a blender so cold. I said, ‘Oh yeah.’ He’s different, man.” Slay couldn’t stop raving: “Man, ain’t nobody seen no running back like this. His career stats don’t say it, but that dude could rush for 2,000 every year behind this O-line. We call him Black Jesus around here.” Sherman chimed in again, “As you should. As you should.”
From being the “Black Jesus” of Philly to leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, Saquon Barkley’s journey is nothing short of Hollywood-worthy. As Sherman said, “Now he’s getting to show what he should have been the whole time.” And with a Super Bowl showdown looming, one thing’s clear: the Giants’ loss is Philly’s gain, and Barkley is ready to rewrite the NFL’s record books.
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