Just over a month ago, Eagles legend Brandon Graham was at the Fanatics Fest in New York City. And when he got the mic, he couldn’t help but throw a little shade at Giants fans in the crowd. “I’m thanking Giants fans right now. I’m thanking every Giants fan out there,” he said. The reason behind all the gratitude for the Giants’ fans? Saquon Barkley. “Thank you for not being smart because your team left us Saquon (Barkley). Thank you!”
That wasn’t some two-time Super Bowl champ or a veteran DE who spent his entire career in Philly taking a shot at the Giants. Nope, that was kind of a fan, just thanking Barkley for helping the Eagles snag their second Lombardi. And speaking of the Eagles fans, one name always stands out. Ed Kelce—dad to the Chiefs‘ tight end, Travis Kelce, and the Eagles’ legend, Jason Kelce. In his latest social media post, Ed Kelce shared a cryptic post that features a fan at the Eagles’ practice. The highlight of the post?
It’s that fan’s jersey, as Ed wrote, “Best shirt at the Eagles practice.” The person showed up with No. 26 on his back with a short yet eye-catching message. “THANKS NYG.” Context? The whole NFL world knows. A couple of years back, the Giants placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Barkley. Fast forward to the 2024 offseason, and the veteran running back was seeking a contract extension.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2054: Commanders vs Eagles JAN 26 January 26, 2025, Philadelphia PA Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley 26 warms up before the NFC championship against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Canha/CSM Credit Image: Â Eric Canha/Cal Media Philadelphia Pa USA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx ZUMA-20250126_zma_c04_419.jpg EricxCanhax csmphotothree350036
But the Big Apple was never in the mood to extend Barkley, considering his injury concerns and Daniel Jones‘ big $160M deal in 2023. The result? Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Eagles and admitted that he was “fed up” with negotiations with the Giants. And the plot thickened from there. He called the New York team’s approach “a little disrespectful.”
The RB felt disrespected by the team’s decision to make him prove his worth by testing the market and called it a “slap in the face.” The Giants didn’t make an offer to Barkley, but the Eagles did. And just like that, the RB inked a three-year $37.5 million deal. Of course, the Giants’ fans weren’t having it, as they claimed that Barkley bailed on New York. But Barkley wasn’t sugarcoating it either.
He hopped on his official ‘X’ handle and clapped back at the Giants’ fans. “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.” And just like that, the Giants dropped the ball in 2024. Did it cost them? Absolutely.
Why did the Giants cut ties with Saquon Barkley?
Saquon Barkley entered the 2024 offseason without a contract extension in his hands. And you could feel that the contract negotiations between the front office and Barkley’s camp were anything but smooth. The drama unfolded on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” The show featured a conversation between the Giants’ general manager, Joe Schoen, and Barkley’s agent, Ed Berry. Berry made things clear: The Giants would need to pay Barkley a three-year deal worth $12.5 million a year.
“I told the agent, if we match that deal, he’s gonna be a Giant,” the GM explained in a conversation with the team owner, John Mara. “He’s like, ‘Wellll.’ He hemmed and hawwed. He’s like, ‘I’m not saying that. We’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.” But the plot thickened from there. The GM asked Barkley to test the free agency market to see what his value is. The reason?
Well, he didn’t want to franchise tag the running back. The writing was on the wall: Barkley wanted to remain in New York, and the Giants were ready to do their best to match the offer. But as it turned out, Barkley’s value might have been higher than what the Giants projected. The rumor mills started linking Saquon Barkley with the Bears and the Eagles.
John Mara wasn’t having it. He straight-up claimed, “I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that. … He’s the most popular player we have BY FAR.” But in March 2024, Barkley ended up signing a three-year $37.75 million deal, and the rest is history.
Over 2,000 rushing yards, a Super Bowl ring, an appearance on Madden cover, and a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension. So, when Ed Kelce shared a cryptic post on his social media, let’s just say, he wasn’t talking the talk. That picture was indeed the best at the Eagles’ practice.
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