On Thursday, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley received the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award to honor a top 10 all-time rushing campaign. Barkley received 35-of-50 first-place votes, becoming the first EVER Eagles player to claim the award.
Saquon Barkley claims NFL Gold
Saquon topped fellow RB Derrick Henry and a trio of quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrows, and Josh Allen. Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was third in voting even though he didn’t receive a single first-place ballot.
The 27 year old completed the 2024-25 regular season with 2,005 rushing yards. That mark is good for 8th best in NFL history, including sitting out the final game of the regular season. Saquon has added 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns during this Eagles’ postseason run. Brian Westbrook holds the Birds’ all-time rushing playoff rushing mark at 591 yards over 11 games.
Saquon Barkley is on the cusp of more history during Super Bowl LIX – the Penn State product needs 30 rushing yards to pass Terrell Davis’ combined regular season and post-season rushing mark of 2,476 yards, a mark set during the 1998 Denver Broncos World Championship season.
Barkley and Davis are the only 2,000-yard running backs to reach the NFL Title game in the same year they completed their impressive 2K season. Saquon will attempt to match Davis’ status as a World Champion on Sunday night.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
