Eagles Make Smart Call To Sit Saquon Barkley In Week 18 Despite Rushing Record Possibility

One of the big questions heading into Week 18 of the NFL season was whether the Philadelphia Eagles, who have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC, would play star running back Saquon Barkley to allow him to go for the single-season rushing record. 

Of course, playing Barkley in what is, essentially, a meaningless game for the Eagles, presents some risk. And the Philadelphia coaching staff made the decision that the risk wasn't worth it.

Barkley reached the 2,000-yard mark for rushing yards in Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys. He became just the ninth player to accomplish that feat in NFL history. 

But his 2,005 yards are 100 fewer than Eric Dickerson had for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. Dickerson, of course, rushed for 2,105 yards in 16 games, which was the length of the NFL season at the time. 

Some said the record would be tainted if Barkley broke it anyway, since he would have needed 17 games. That said, Dickerson ran the ball more in 1984 than Barkley did in 2024. 

Still, the Eagles made the right call here. Winning the Super Bowl should be the primary objective and Philadelphia obviously needs a healthy Barkley to give itself the best chance to achieve that goal. 

Saquon Barkley is the only player in the Top 10 of the MVP race, according to the betting markets, that isn't a quarterback. He's the most important player on the Eagles offense. 

Risking his health, especially at a position like running back, doesn't make sense. Plus, Barkley has an injury history that includes missing most of the 2020 season. 

The Philadelphia Eagles will rest Saquon Barkley in Week 18 to get ready for the playoffs, rather than allow him to go for the NFL rushing record. 

(Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

While Barkley might want the distinction of the single-season NFL rushing record, he's a team-first guy who spent many years playing with a bad Giants team. 

Having a realistic opportunity to win a Super Bowl trumps individual accomplishments, so something tells me Barkley is fine with the coaches' decision. Of course, if the Eagles don't win the Super Bowl, Barkley might regret not getting the opportunity. 

There's always a risk/reward in life and many decisions are tough. But you have to work with the information that you had at the time, and that information suggests that gearing up for a postseason run is the best move for both Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles.