Former Giants running back Saquon Barkley went from a fan favorite in New York to public enemy No. 1 all because he signed with the Eagles in free agency.
Barkley appeared on the “New Heights” podcast this week to talk about his decision with Jason and Travis Kelce. While on their show, he surprisingly revealed that he didn’t receive a contract offer from the Giants this offseason.
“I get fans being upset about me going to Philly,” Barkley said. “First of all, the Giants didn’t even offer me.”
That probably won’t change how Giants fans feel about Barkley signing with the Eagles. At the end of the day, they’re furious that he joined their biggest rival.
Later in the podcast, Barkley explained why he chose the Eagles in free agency.
“I wanted to get what I deserved that I thought was fair for me to take care of me and my family. That’s the goal you want to get to, that second contract,” Barkley said, via the New York Post. “When I had my offers in place, I was like, ‘Alright, what best fits me? Where can I go and have the best opportunity to win?’ in my opinion. When you put all the pieces together, it made sense to be in Philly.”
Barkley received a three-year, $37.75 million contract from the Eagles. He’s expected to take Nick Sirianni’s offense to the next level this fall.
It’ll be fascinating to see how the crowd at MetLife Stadium treats Barkley when the Eagles face the Giants.