Saquon Barkley did his thing, setting records and then went on to win a Super Bowl in his first season in green with the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the former Penn State Nittany Lion is being handsomely rewarded.
Barkley will ink a massive two-year, $41.2 million contract extension with the Eagles that will make him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, according to ESPN’s senior NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Barkley, the former No. 2 pick in the draft, also has the opportunity to earn an additional $15 million in incentives and escalators, and the deal includes $36 million fully guaranteed at the time of signing, according to Schefter.
Barkley’s contract extension comes after he signed a three-year deal with Philadelphia as a free agent last offseason, leaving their division rival, the New York Giants, after six years with the organization.
Barkley was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and set records while leading the Eagles to Super Bowl LIX, where they beat the Kansas City Chiefs in dominant fashion, 40-22.
In his inaugural season, Barkley set the NFL’s single-season rushing record with the postseason included. He ripped off seven scoring runs of 60 yards or more, and he had 574 total yards and five scores in four postseason outings.
Barkley has already made himself into a Philadelphia sports icon in his short stint with the Eagles, which is not the easiest thing to do, continuing his impressive career.
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter starring at Whitehall High School, Barkley was a superstar for James Franklin’s Nittany Lions, spearheading an offense that delivered a 2016 Big Ten title. Barkley was a two-time Big Ten MVP and a unanimous All-American in 2017.
As stated earlier, Barkley was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Giants. Injuries and a lack of talent around him stunted Barkley’s tenure with New York.
Last March, Barkley signed a three-year deal worth $37.75 million with the Eagles. And now, after a classic season that was capped with a Super Bowl title, Philadelphia is rewarding its star running back.
