The tone was set when Will Shipley took the Eagles‘ first kickoff return back 35 yards to start the NFC Championship Game. The noise level inside Lincoln Financial Field was Krakatoan, almost to the point of shattering ear drums.
The stadium’s bulwarks felt like they were moving as he crossed the 40-yard line. One play later, Saquon Barkley rumbled 60 yards and the Eagles were up 7-3. Shipley’s kickoff return sent off a chain reaction in that game, one that resulted in a 55-23 win over the shell-shocked Commanders.
And, yes, the rookie running back felt every reverberation.
Will Shipley opens up on the NFC Championship game and beyond
“I did,” Shipley told me of his return. “I got us off to a good start and then Sa [Saquon] takes it 60 yards to the crib on the first play. I don’t think there’s a much better way to start a game than that. Just to be able to contribute … if they want to kick the ball to me, I want to be able to go out there and just make plays.”
Will Shipley has been making a lot of plays, too. Right before halftime in the NFC Championship Game, the fourth-round pick forced a fumble which the Eagles recovered.
He added a 57-yard jaunt late in the fourth quarter, punctuating that drive with a two-yard touchdown run. It was his first career NFL score, one that got the Eagles’ bench up in a hurry.
“It was a great feeling for sure,” Shipley told me. “To be able to go out there and get the first one but props to all the guys around me — Saquon, Coach [Jemal] Singleton, all those boys up front, just all the coaches and players that are supporting me and always there for me every day. Very thankful to get in there but more thankful for the guys around me.”
Humble and aware of his surroundings. The growing bond between the rookie and the current NFL Offensive Player of the Year has been an under-the-radar headline going back to training camp. Barkley has mentored Shipley all year while dropping deft life lessons in his ear.
“He’s a special guy to a lot of us,” the rookie said of Barkley. “He impacts so many people around him. Not by his play on the field, that plays a part in it as well, just who he is as a person and the way he’s in our lives every day. For me, the way he’s taken me under his wing, and helped me out this year.”
Will Shipley talked today me about how much Saquon Barkley means to him after the NFCCG, mentioning how he pounds this point home: “You gotta believe in yourself before anyone else believes in you.”#Eagles #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/oEd1hUSM9i
— Michael Greger (@mike_greger) February 7, 2025
When asked if there was anything specific Barkley taught him, Shipley paused a long time and tried to jog his memory bank.
“Mentor me. Too many [lessons] to count,” Shipley said. “I think, you just gotta believe in yourself before anyone else believes in you, and I’ve always had confidence in my ability to play ball but to hear that from someone like Saquon, and just to be able to really let it resonate with you, just with everything else he’s taught me along the way.”
So, with Barkley’s 28th birthday on Super Bowl Sunday (February 9), the whole locker room has been thinking about the best way to honor him.
“I’m sure we’ll do something,” Will Shipley said. “I think the best birthday present we can give him is a Super Bowl win. He’s a special guy to a lot of us.”
Jalen Hurts Praises Will Shipley’s ‘Willingness to Work’
Barkley hyped Will Shipley up at camp in August, complimenting his desire to chase greatness. The rookie would come in early and saddle up next to Barkley, asking him questions about life and picking his brain for tips on how to be be a better running back.
“He has the urge to want to be better, to want to be great,” Barkley told reporters on August 18. “Sometimes I’ll come in and do a little extra work and he’s always up on my hip. I love that about him.”
.@Saquon and the bench popped off for Will Shipley’s 1st NFL TD 😅@willshipley2021 | @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/2ydcJbtbIn
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 31, 2025
But Shipley’s biggest impact has been on special teams where 244 of his 309 snaps came in 2024. Many of his teammates have shared stories detailing his tenacity and temerity, especially when it comes to knocking balls out and creating turnovers.
According to quarterback Jalen Hurts, it all starts with Shipley’s work ethic.
“Just for him showing up on special teams, really starting off with his eagerness in the offseason to work,” Hurts told reporters at Super Bowl Media Day. “We spent a lot of time together. For Will, just his willingness to work. Him showing up on special teams, and showing up in the run game when Saquon needs a blow. Him and Kenny [Gainwell], I think those guys are very valuable to this team.”
Speaking of Gainwell, he was a full participant at Thursday’s practice after being limited on Wednesday. He’s expected to play on Sunday, but his role could be diminished depending on his health. Either way, Shipley — the third-stringer on the depth chart — has earned more offensive snaps with his stellar play in recent weeks.
“I just want to be able to contribute,” Shipley said. “If they want to kick the ball to me [on kickoffs], I want to be able to go out there and just make plays.”
Bird Seed: Saquon Barkley Picks Up New Partnership Deal
Saquon Barkley will be appearing in a Super Bowl ad as part of his new partnership deal with Ramp. Click here to view the full video. In it, Barkley shows how to better manage manual expense reports.
Ramp is a financial operations platform that promises to save companies time and money. Their all-in-one solution combines payments, corporate cards, vendor management, procurement, travel booking, and automated bookkeeping with built-in intelligence to maximize the impact of every dollar and hour spent.
Seriously in awe of a few people at Ramp who got this done so quickly. Welcome @saquon! pic.twitter.com/Wu6JV8U6wW
— tub (@luketubs) February 6, 2025
“I’ve always believed a winning mindset applies to every part of life,” Barkley said in a press release. “If you want to dominate, you don’t switch off when the clock hits zero and I demand that same intensity in my business ventures. Ramp shares my obsession with speed and efficiency, helping teams move faster, spend smarter, and stay a step ahead of the competition. They’re a partner I want in my corner.”
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
