Saquon Barkley’s Return To Sofi Stadium Returns Him To Former Self
Hunter Martin / Philadelphia Eagles
While the trip out west to Los Angeles didn’t go the way the Eagles hoped, for one player, it felt like we were watching the 2024 version of him.
It’s no secret that the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles have been a disappointment in terms of overall team success. They currently sit at 8-5 on the season and in first place in the NFC East, but that lead has quickly dwindled to just a game and a half. While the playoffs aren’t out of the question, and they still have fantastic odds to get to the postseason, the vibes and the plays on the field couldn’t be worse.
The offense has been downright awful, bottom of the league, especially over the past six weeks. Whether it’s the running or passing game, both options are just not working for the Eagles, and because of the struggles, the team’s star players have seen a dip in production.
Out of anyone on the Eagles who has seen a clear dropoff in production from 2024 to 2025 is former All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley. Barkley last season posted not only the greatest rushing season in Philadelphia Eagles history, but one of the greatest rushing seasons in the history of the NFL.
Barkley rushed for 2005 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, rushed for over 100 yards in 11 of 16 games, and over 150 yards in five contests. Barkley became the first Eagle to rush for 2000 yards in a season and the ninth player in NFL history, placing him eighth most in history.
Now, through the first half of last year, Barkley was obviously on pace to have an All-Pro caliber year and was a key reason that the Eagles jumped out to an 8-2 start to the season. However, in late November, the Eagles took a trip out west to take on the Rams in a primetime matchup, and after that game, Barkley’s season went from All-Pro potential to All-Time potential.
Barkley rushed for a career-high 255 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns as the Eagles dominated the Rams 37-20 to improve to 9-2. After that game, the idea of Barkley not only rushing for 2000 yards became real, and many thought he would be able to pass Eric Dickerson‘s record of 2105 yards.
While Barkley didn’t get the record, his great season helped ride the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory for the second time in franchise history. 2025 has unfortunately not been even close to 2024 for Barkley, as before the Eagles’ Monday Night football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Barkley had rushed for over 100 yards just once.
But Barkley was back in Sofi Stadium, the place where his 2024 season went from great to historic, and unlike the passing game, Barkley and the rush game had a big showing. Barkley rushed for 122 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown, and that touchdown came on a 52-yard burst at the start of the fourth quarter.
It was the first time all season that it felt like Barkley could actually break through on run plays, and it didn’t feel like he was getting trapped in the backfield right when he touched the ball. The playcalling has not done Barkley any favors this year, and the offensive line has dealt with its share of struggles and injuries all season long, but for the first time this year, it feels like the running game is moving in the right direction.
The passing game obviously isn’t in a great spot, seeing how Jalen Hurts threw four interceptions in the overtime loss to the Chargers. If the Eagles want to get back into the swing of things on offense before the playoffs, they may have to ride the run and ride Barkley into the sunset.
Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
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