Saquon Barkley's $41.2M Eagles Contract Extension Makes Him Highest Paid Running Back In NFL History

Saquon Barkley will remain a Philadelphia Eagle. The Super Bowl champs extended the star running back’s contract for an additional two-year deal valued at 41.2M, with $36M guaranteed. There is an extra $15M in incentives in the contract. The 28-year-old famously left the Giants when they declined to sign him to a new contract after the 2023-2024 season. Hard Knocks, the HBO documentary series covering the NFL, captured the moment the decision was made. It’s been obvious for a while now that the Giants made a huge mistake, as Barkley went on to set the record for total yardage in an NFL season with the post-season factored in. Then, of course, the team won the Super Bowl, and none other than quarterback and the game’s MVP, Jalen Hurts, praised Barkley for his stellar season.

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Barkley’s new contract and stellar year reset the market for running backs. In 2023, several prominent players at the position held a Zoom call to discuss how they were devalued in a pass-dominant NFL. The former Penn State standout ran for a total of 2,504 yards, including the playoffs and Super Bowl LIX, setting the  NFL record for most rushing yards in a single season with 2,504. He scored 20 total touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs, including a dramatic 78-yard run in the snow vs. the Rams in the divisional round. Barkley was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. He was a serious candidate for the MVP as well, losing to the eventual winner, Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Along with all those accolades, there was also this viral moment against the Jacksonville Jaguars when he leaped backward over a defender. Barkley’s intangible boost to the team in his first season with the Eagles likely helped him secure the bag as well. In multiple mic’d up interviews, he was on the sidelines hyping up the team. During the Super Bowl, he and Hurts encouraged the team to stay locked in until the clock counted down to zero. The game was played on Barkley’s 28th birthday, one he shares with teammate Cooper DeJean. On Instagram, Barkley posted a photo from after Super Bowl LIX as he enjoyed the celebration on the field with his family, including fiancée Anna Congdon, daughter Jada, and son Saquon Jr. “Overflow! Grateful for the Eagles Organization, grateful for my team, grateful for the amazing fans in Philly. Fly Eagles Fly ” See how social media is saluting the major bag secured below.

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