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During an episode of “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants,” it was made clear that co-owner John Mara did not want to lose running back Saquon Barkley in free agency.
More specifically, he did not want to lose Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mara praised Barkley as the organizational identity — one of the few fan favorites — and commiserated over the idea of him joining their NFC East rivals.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” Mara said in episode 3.
General manager Joe Schoen assured Mara that Philly was out but that proved incorrect.
Not long after that episode was filmed, Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles. It was Mara’s worst nightmare and now Barkley seems to be rubbing it in.
In a recent ad for Unisom, Barkley appears to poke fun at the Giants and Mara en route to 2,000 yards rushing, which he accomplished this past Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Alright this might push John Mara over the top pic.twitter.com/GFbqtfCXT2
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) January 2, 2025
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“I heard some of you were having trouble sleeping, so I wrote you a lullaby,” Barkley said. “Rockabye baby awake in your bed as the thought of 2,000 swirls in your head. It sure is tough to lose sleep over football; not for me, though. Goodnight to you all.”
“Still can’t sleep? Try counting sheep,” Barkley says as an image of him as a lamb leaps over a fence.
It’s clear what the ad was referencing and while Barkley didn’t write the jingle, it doesn’t reflect well on Schoen. And it certainly doesn’t help Mara sleep any better at night.
Barkley was on pace to set the all-time single-season rushing record this weekend against the Giants but Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has instead decided to rest his starters — something that Barkley understands but doesn’t love.