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The question of whether Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will break the NFL’s all-time single-season record for rushing yards against his former team, the New York Giants, was answered by head coach Nick Sirianni on Wednesday.
“We’re going to rest some guys. There are going to be some guys that are resting. There are going to be some guys that are in reserve roles. You can’t obviously rest everybody with the roster. That’s our plan moving forward,” Sirianni told reporters.
#Eagles HC Nick Sirianni announced they will rest RB Saquon Barkley in Week 18 in preparation for the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/mJLhgMd3V8
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 1, 2025
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Barkley is 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. The Giants are next to last in rushing defense and it would have been very likely that Barkley would have broken the record this week against his former mates if he played.
Siriaani, who has been under fire despite a 13-3 record and potentially two guaranteed home playoff games as the No. 2 seed in the NFC, apparently isn’t taking any chances with his best-performing player.
“Obviously, it’s a very special record that’s been standing for a long time by a great player. It’s a team record that everybody’s involved in. You take and weigh all of those things, but at the end of the day, you just try to do what’s best for the team,” he said.
Barkley gained 167 yards in the first meeting against the Giants in Week 7 at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants will likely face a hefty dose of the Eagles’ backup running backs, Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley.