The Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Saquon Barkley won’t play in the final game of the season despite having a shot at the NFL’s single-season rushing record, according to head coach Nick Sirianni.
Barkley has rushed for 2,005 yards in the 2024 season, making him 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley already became one of only nine players to cross the 2,000 rushing yards mark in a single season. The last one to do so was Derrick Henry in 2020.
However, Sirianni intends to sit most of his starters in Week 18 against the New York Giants to have them rested for the playoffs.
“He will probably be somebody that rests,” Sirianni said of Barkley.
The Eagles already clinched the NFC East division and can’t end the season better or worse than being the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Considering that they played 12 consecutive games since their bye in Week 5, Sirianni believes his key players are due for a breather before focusing on the postseason.
“Obviously, it’s a very special record that’s been standing for a very long time by a great player. It’s a team record that everybody’s involved in. You weigh all those things. But at the end of the day, you just try to do what’s best for the team,” he added.
