Giants fans may have been feeling queasy watching Saquon Barkley explode for more than 200 rushing yards and two touchdowns to send the Eagles to the NFC Championship game, but one ex-Giant was more than happy to see Barkley perform at a high level on Sunday.
Former Giants wider receiver Odell Beckham Jr. praised Barkley on social media after the Eagles’ 28-22 win over the Rams in snowy Philadelphia.
“So f–n proud of that boy!!! Since day one the illesttt I seeen put on cleats, that’s on my soul @saquon,” Beckham wrote on X.
Beckham and Barkley called each other teammates for one season on the Giants in 2018, and he wasn’t the only former teammate showing support for Barkley on Sunday.
Ex-Giants teammates Sterling Shepard and Daniel Jones were guests in Barkley’s box at Lincoln Financial Field, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Barkley’s tenure with the Giants came to an during the offseason when he signed with the rival Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract with $26 million guaranteed.
Since he left, Barkley has been one of the top running backs in the NFL, falling just short of tying Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record and finishing the regular season with 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He finished Sunday’s win over the Rams with 205 yards on the ground and ran for a 78-yard touchdown and a 62-yard touchdown in the course of the game.
“It starts up front. It starts up front with those guys and then when you have a quarterback that can take it 50 yards to the house that opens stuff for you too,” Barkley told NBC after the win about his strong effort.
The continued success of Barkley has made his departure a big storyline in the Giants’ forgettable 2024 season.
“And we couldn’t pay this man ?” former Giants star Justin Tuck wrote on X after the game.
By comparison, the move to sign him has been another feather in the cap of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
The two were seen celebrating together on the sideline as the final seconds ticked away during the win over the Rams.