Saquon Barkley is enjoying a career that hasn’t stopped peaking since last season. Leaving the busy streets of New York City, he took to Philly to remake his mark on the gridiron. And that’s exactly what he did last season. Explosive plays and clutch moments that got him 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Eagles. There’s also the highlight moment of a backwards hurdle in Week 9 that left Jaguars CB Jarrian Jones on the ground in shock. It was this moment that landed on the cover of Madden NFL ’26. But as far as Barkley’s family is concerned, they weren’t all on board with it.
As the Eagles’ star looks forward to the new season, there are plenty of amazing things already happening for him. From getting a brand new partnership with Nike, to Gino’s Steakhouse changing their name to “Steakquon” for a whole week, the whole NFL community is celebrating Barkley’s talent. He’s also been doing a press tour ever since the Madden cover was announced. But the highlight play that started it all is something Barkley’s mother, Tonya Johnson, is not a fan of.
Barkley joined the crew of Good Morning America recently. And it was here that he shared his feelings about that play. Wearing a harness, trying to recreate that backwards hurdle, he realized how difficult and dangerous it was. As he notably said, “That’s when I realized what I did was super hard. When they asked you to recreate something and you have to be strapped into a harness, it showed me how cool it was. And also, how dangerous the play was, and the reason my mom likes when my feet stay on the ground.” The Jaguars’ game last season was just one of the best moments for him. But Barkley also admitted, right after that play, he got the hardest hit of his career. So, Tonya Johnson wants him to play it a little safer this new season. And it’s a concern she has expressed before as well.
Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) leaps over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Ronald Darby (25) while running with the ball during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
In one particular interview, Tonya Johnson had shared what it’s like watching Saquon play on TV. As Tonya put it, “I’m the fan who’s screaming at the TV. – When [Saquon] does the jumps, I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ Because it’s easy to jump; it’s hard to land… Or when they’re grabbing his helmet or doing little dirty moves, I’m going through changes. I’m the angry one.” While his mother watches his games, exclaiming at his jumps and getting angry at other players, Barkley’s father is worried too. As Alibay Barkley had also stated in that interview, “For me, it’s nervousness. I worry that he’ll get hurt.” So it is this worry that comes to the forefront when Saquon makes his jumps. But as the Eagles head into the new season, Saquon Barkley has shared something that has been worrying him a little.
The Super Bowl worry for Saquon Barkley
Speaking on Good Morning America, he was asked, “The reigning Super Bowl champs, what does it take to do that again?” For Barkley, the answer wasn’t easy. As he noted, “You know, I learned in recent months that it’s hard to get to the mountaintop, but it’s even harder to stay.” Being the returning champions, the Eagles will be front and center as all 31 franchises try to take their throne. But how do you maintain that “sustained success” that got you the Super Bowl last year? As Barkley admits, “We know what it takes to go out there and win a Super Bowl. And we was able to accomplish that. How do you do it again? It’s even harder.” While it is certainly hard to be two-time Super Bowl champs (just ask the Chiefs), Saquon also believes they’ve got the “recipe.”
So what’s the “recipe” for “sustained success”? As the RB put it, “I think the way that we do that is focusing on what got us there. And that’s buying into what coach is telling us. That’s buying into ‘you can’t be great without the greatness of others.’ And you need a little luck. That’s football.” Head coach Nick Sirianni has often doubled down on this mantra for his team. When every single player does their best to be great, that’s when the whole team shines and wins games. And Barkley firmly believes in the coaching staff as he added, “But with the talent that we have, with the coaching staff that we have, if we stay healthy and continue to buy into the mindset of ‘can’t be great without the greatness of others,’ I think we’ll have a good shot.”
The Eagles have a tough season ahead of them. But with Jalen Hurts leading under center and Nick Sirianni’s guidance, they have all the tools they’ll need. As for Saquon Barkley, he is already determined to give the fans some more “highlight-reel moments” worthy of Madden players. Will this be another run for the Lombardi trophy for the Eagles this year? Barkley is certainly gearing up for that. What do you think?
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