There’s still animosity from New York sports fans toward Saquon Barkley, after he left the New York Giants for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 NFL free agency, and he’s not happy about it. The running back took to X to post about ongoing negative reactions to his move.
Barkley’s ire was raised when he was booed by fans of the New York Knicks when the team faced the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, May 2. Barkley was pictured sat alongside Eagles’ wide receiver A.J. Brown at the Wells Fargo Arena, a sight that prompted a chorus of boos, per WFAN host Evan Roberts.
The reaction was not lost on Barkley. In fact, the two-time Pro Bowler felt the need to call out fans still upset he’s no longer with the Giants.
Barkley’s post read: “It’s been two months… lol no way ya can still be this mad! Mf can’t even go to a basketball game.”
Those words led to a response from X user jpkmets THALA and DR. K SZN CSKB2B, who pointed out to Barkley, “You bailed. On New York. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.”
Naturally, Barkley offered a rebuttal. Interestingly, the 27-year-old revealed he chose to join the Giants’ fiercest rival only after Big Blue failed to make him an offer: “Let me educate some of you fans here… I can’t bail or become a traitor if I never got an offer to come back.. so I went to the organization I felt that was the best and after already being here for a month man I’m excited to be a eagle ! Go birds.”
The latest round of online back and forth only continues what has been a contentious reaction to Barkley joining the Eagles.
Saquon Barkley’s Move to Eagles Still Stings Both Sides
Barkley signing a three-year contract with the Giants’ biggest rival in the NFC East was always going to sting. Turn out the deal smarts for both the Giants and Barkley.
A public spat between Barkley and Giants’ all-time leading rusher Tiki Barber was the first example of pushback. Their brief, but icy exchange highlighted what impact suiting up for the Eagles will have on Barkley’s legacy with the G-Men.
That legacy involves being the second player drafted back in 2018. Barkley wasn’t the quarterback many felt the Giants needed, but he did win Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,307 yards while also snagging 91 receptions.
Another 1,000-yard season followed in 2019, before a torn ACL caused Barkley to miss 14 games a year later. He bounced back in style in 2022 by rushing for a career-high 1,312 yards and helping propel the Giants to a surprise playoff berth.
Those numbers weren’t enough for Barkley to get a long-term deal, despite the Giants having multiple chances to secure his future.
Giants Had Chances to Keep Saquon Barkley
The first of those chances was allowed to pass because the Giants instead handed a four-year, $160-million contract to quarterback Daniel Jones in 2023. It left Barkley to be paid an adjusted version of the franchise tag.
Barkley made it clear he didn’t want the tag, nor anything like it, this time around. He essentially created a scenario where the Giants would either sign him for the long haul or allow their best player to test the market and risk a rival pouncing.
The Eagles duly obliged, but as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio put it, “Don’t be mad at the kid. He’s just trying to get paid for his services. The Giants had every opportunity over and over again. From the end of his third regular season in 2020, through March 11, when the Eagles had the ability to go try to sign him, the Giants had the exclusive right to try to sign him to a long-term deal, and they didn’t. If you’re gonna get mad, Giants fans, get mad at the Giants, don’t get mad at Saquon Barkley.”
Ultimately, this Giants regime always acted comfortable with the idea of life without Barkley. That would be an easier sell if Barkley wasn’t playing for a rival and having two chances per season to show the Giants and their fans what they’re missing.
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