Saquon Barkley’s backward hurdle from 2024 immediately became one of the best plays in NFL history. The too-good-to-be-true move even made its way onto Madden 25.
As good as it was, Barkley doesn’t want to be known for it.
“When I got to the locker room and got to see the play, I realized I was able to do something pretty cool,” Barkley told Chris Bumbaca of USA Today. “It’s something. It’s a play I’ll never forget. But I also don’t want to be remembered for that play.
“I’m happy I was able to make that play, but I’m ready for the next one.”
Odell Beckham never did anything better than his one-handed catch for a touchdown over Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr in 2014. The wide receiver once said, “It’s unfortunate, in a way, to be known only for the catch.”
Barkley has had a 2,000-yard season, won Offensive Player of the Year and won a Super Bowl ring, all in the same season. But he had only 1,140 yards last season, and the Eagles went 11-6 and lost in the wild-card round.
Barkley wants more than last season.
“So that’s a motivation for me — try to get back to that game,” Barkley said. “That’s why I train the way I train. I would love to have had a faster start last year, but you can’t get caught up in the stats. You can’t get too caught up in numbers. Some of my better years weren’t based off numbers. It was based off how I handled myself in certain situations.”
