Saquon Barkley facts for kids
Barkley in 2024
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| No. 26 – Philadelphia Eagles | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | February 9, 1997 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 233 lb (106 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Whitehall (Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Penn State (2015–2017) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||
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Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley (born February 9, 1997) is a talented American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Known for his speed, strength, and agility, he first made a name for himself playing college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he set several school records. After being drafted by the New York Giants in 2018, Saquon quickly became one of the NFL's top players. In the 2024 season, he helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, also setting new league records for rushing and scrimmage yards in a single season.
Contents
Early Life and High School Years
Saquon Barkley was born in The Bronx, New York. His father, Alibay Barkley, was a boxer. Saquon has three brothers and two sisters. His brother, Alibay Jr., was a baseball player drafted by the Los Angeles Angels. His great uncle, Iran Barkley, was a famous boxing champion.
In 2001, Saquon's family moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, looking for a safer place to live. They later moved to Allentown and then to Coplay, Pennsylvania.
Saquon went to Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania. This school is known for producing many professional athletes. During his time there, Saquon rushed for an impressive 3,646 yards and scored 63 touchdowns from his sophomore to senior years. In his senior year alone, he gained 1,856 yards and scored 31 touchdowns.
He was considered a top football player and first committed to Rutgers, but later chose to play college football for Penn State. In 2014, he won the Mr. Pennsylvania Football award, which recognizes the best high school player in the state.
Besides football, Saquon also played basketball and competed in track and field at Whitehall. In 2015, he won gold medals in the 100-meter dash and the long jump, and set a school record in the 100-meter dash. He also competed in shot put and high jump.
Many top colleges wanted Saquon to play for them, including Missouri, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. He decided to accept the offer from Penn State.
In 2021, Whitehall High School honored Saquon by retiring his jersey number (#21). This is a special recognition, and he joined other NFL players from the school, Matt Millen and Dan Koppen, who also had their jerseys retired.
College Career at Penn State
Saquon Barkley started playing for Penn State right away as a freshman in 2015.
Freshman Year: An Immediate Impact
After a quiet first game, he quickly showed his talent. In his second game, he rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. In his third game, he gained 195 yards and scored two touchdowns. Even after missing two games due to injury, he returned strong, rushing for 194 yards against top-ranked Ohio State. By the end of his freshman year in 2015, Saquon had rushed for 1,076 yards. His great performance earned him recognition as second-team All-Big Ten.
Sophomore Year: Breaking Records
In 2016, his sophomore year, Saquon continued to shine. He had his first 200-yard rushing game against Maryland, finishing with 202 yards and a touchdown. Against Purdue, he set a career-high with 207 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards, scoring two touchdowns.
He was named a semi-finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to the best college football player. After the season, he received major awards, including Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He helped Penn State win the Big Ten Championship and played a fantastic game in the 2017 Rose Bowl, scoring three touchdowns. By the end of his sophomore year, Saquon had set Penn State records for most rushing yards by a freshman (1,076) and a sophomore (1,496).
Junior Year: All-Purpose Star
In 2017, his junior year, Saquon became an all-around star. In a game against Iowa, he set a school record with 358 all-purpose yards, which included rushing, receiving, and kick return yards. He also made history by being the first player in Big Ten history to score a return touchdown and throw a passing touchdown in the same game.
In his final college game, the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, Saquon rushed for 137 yards and scored two touchdowns, helping Penn State win. After this successful season, he decided to leave Penn State early to enter the NFL draft.
College Statistics
| Penn State Nittany Lions | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Kick returns | ||||||||||
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2015 | 11 | 6 | 182 | 1,076 | 5.9 | 7 | 20 | 161 | 8.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 14 | 14 | 272 | 1,496 | 5.5 | 18 | 28 | 402 | 14.4 | 4 | 3 | 74 | 24.7 | 0 |
| 2017 | 13 | 12 | 217 | 1,271 | 5.9 | 18 | 54 | 632 | 11.7 | 3 | 15 | 426 | 28.4 | 2 |
| Career | 38 | 32 | 672 | 3,843 | 5.7 | 43 | 102 | 1,195 | 11.7 | 8 | 18 | 500 | 27.8 | 2 |
College Awards and Honors
- Fiesta Bowl champion, 2017
- Six-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, 2017, 2016
- ESPN and Sporting News Midseason All American – 2017
- Two-time Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (2017)
- Paul Hornung Award, 2017
- Consensus All-American, 2017
- Sporting News All-American First team, 2017
- ESPN First Team All-American, 2017
- FWAA First Team All-American, 2017
- Associated Press First Team All-American, 2017
- Walter Camp First Team All-American, 2017
- Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year 2016 and 2017
- Big Ten Running Back of the Year, 2016 and 2017
- Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, 2017
- Big Ten champion, 2016
- Associated Press Third Team All-American, 2016
- Sporting News All-American second team, 2016
- All-Big Ten First team, 2016
- All-Big Ten Second team, 2015
Penn State Records
- Most career rushing touchdowns: 43
- Most rushing yards by a freshman: 1,076 yards
- Most rushing yards by a sophomore: 1,496 yards
- Most total yards in a single game: 358 yards (vs. Iowa)
- First player to score a return and passing touchdown in the same game
Professional Football Career
Before the 2018 NFL Draft, many experts believed Saquon Barkley would be one of the top players chosen.
Joining the New York Giants (2018–2023)
The New York Giants selected Saquon as the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract worth $31.2 million.
2018: Rookie of the Year
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Saquon made an amazing NFL debut, scoring a 68-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He rushed for 106 yards in that first game. In his second game, he set a Giants' record with 14 receptions. Throughout his rookie season, he had many impressive games, including rushing for 142 yards and three touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He became the first Giants rookie to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. He also set a franchise rookie record with 15 touchdowns. For his outstanding performance, Saquon was chosen for the 2019 Pro Bowl and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also received other awards like Pepsi Rookie of the Year.
2019: Team Captain and Injury
Saquon was ranked among the NFL's top 100 players and was chosen as a team captain by his teammates, which is a rare honor for a player in only his second year. He continued to perform well, rushing for over 100 yards in several games. However, he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 3, which caused him to miss several weeks. He returned later in the season and finished with over 1,000 rushing yards for his second straight year.
2020: Season-Ending Injury
In Week 2 of the 2020 season, Saquon suffered a serious knee injury (a torn ACL) during a game against the Chicago Bears. This injury unfortunately ended his season early.
2021–2023: Return and Final Seasons with Giants
Saquon worked hard to recover from his injury. In 2021, he played in 13 games, showing his determination to get back on the field. In 2022, he had a fantastic comeback season, rushing for 1,312 yards and ten touchdowns. He was again named to the 2023 Pro Bowl and finished fourth in the NFL for rushing yards. In the playoffs, he helped the Giants win their Wild Card game with 109 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns.
In 2023, the Giants placed a "franchise tag" on Saquon, which meant they wanted to keep him on the team. He signed a new deal with the team. He finished the 2023 season with 962 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in 14 games.
Joining the Philadelphia Eagles (2024–Present)
On March 13, 2024, Saquon signed a three-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles for $37.75 million. He mentioned that he felt a bit disrespected by how negotiations went with the Giants, which influenced his decision to move.
2024: Super Bowl Champion and Offensive Player of the Year
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Saquon made an incredible debut with the Eagles on September 6, 2024. He rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in a 34–29 victory over the Green Bay Packers. This made him the first Eagles player to score three touchdowns in their first game since Terrell Owens in 2004. He earned the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for this performance.
He continued to have an amazing season, earning the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award three more times. In Week 12, he set new Eagles records for most rushing yards (255) and total yards from scrimmage (302) in a single game. He also became the first player in Eagles history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
Saquon finished the 2024 season leading the league with a franchise-record 2,283 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns. He was named a First-team All-Pro and won the Offensive Player of the Year award. He also finished third in the voting for the league's Most Valuable Player.
In the playoffs, Saquon continued his strong performance. He rushed for 119 yards in the Wild Card Round and an incredible 205 yards and two touchdowns in the Divisional Round. In the NFC Championship, he ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Eagles reach Super Bowl LIX. On his 28th birthday, Saquon helped the Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40–22, winning his first Super Bowl championship. He also set new NFL records for most rushing yards (2,504) and scrimmage yards (2,857) in a full season (regular and postseason combined). He was ranked the best player in the NFL by his fellow players in 2025.
2025: Highest Paid Running Back
On March 4, 2025, Saquon signed a new two-year, $41.2 million contract extension with the Eagles. This deal made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, showing how valuable he is to the team.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year | |
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Touch | Y/Tch | YScm | RRTD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2018 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 261 | 1,307 | 5.0 | 78 | 11 | 91 | 721 | 7.9 | 57 | 4 | 352 | 5.8 | 2,028 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | NYG | 13 | 13 | 217 | 1,003 | 4.6 | 68 | 6 | 52 | 438 | 8.4 | 65 | 2 | 269 | 5.4 | 1,441 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | NYG | 2 | 2 | 19 | 34 | 1.8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 60 | 10.0 | 20 | 0 | 25 | 3.8 | 94 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | NYG | 13 | 13 | 162 | 593 | 3.7 | 41 | 2 | 41 | 263 | 6.4 | 54 | 2 | 203 | 4.2 | 856 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 295 | 1,312 | 4.4 | 68 | 10 | 57 | 338 | 5.9 | 41 | 0 | 352 | 4.7 | 1,650 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | NYG | 14 | 14 | 247 | 962 | 3.9 | 36 | 6 | 41 | 280 | 6.8 | 46 | 4 | 288 | 4.3 | 1,242 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| 2024 | PHI | 16 | 16 | 345 | 2,005 | 5.8 | 72 | 13 | 33 | 278 | 8.4 | 43 | 2 | 378 | 6.0 | 2,283 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | PHI | 16 | 16 | 280 | 1,140 | 4.1 | 65 | 7 | 37 | 273 | 7.4 | 47 | 2 | 317 | 4.5 | 1,413 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 101 | 101 | 1,731 | 7,900 | 4.6 | 78 | 52 | 480 | 2,637 | 7.4 | 65 | 16 | 2,087 | 5.0 | 10,537 | 68 | 9 | 5 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Touch | Y/Tch | YScm | RRTD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2022 | NYG | 2 | 2 | 18 | 114 | 6.3 | 39 | 2 | 7 | 77 | 11.0 | 24 | 0 | 25 | 7.6 | 191 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | PHI | 4 | 4 | 91 | 499 | 5.5 | 78 | 5 | 13 | 75 | 5.8 | 22 | 0 | 104 | 5.5 | 574 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | PHI | 1 | 1 | 26 | 106 | 4.1 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 20 | 0 | 29 | 4.5 | 131 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 7 | 7 | 135 | 719 | 5.3 | 78 | 7 | 23 | 177 | 7.7 | 24 | 0 | 158 | 5.7 | 896 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
Awards and Honors
- Super Bowl champion (LIX)
- 3× Pro Bowl – (2018, 2022, 2024)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year – (2024)
- First-team All-Pro – (2024)
- NFL rushing yards leader – (2024)
- Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year – (2018)
- FedEx Ground Player of the Year – (2018)
- NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year – (2018)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team – (2018)
- NFL Top 100 - 16th (2019), 31st (2020), 31st (2023), 86th (2024), 1st (2025)
NFL Records
- Most 100+ yards from scrimmage games by a rookie – 12 games
- Most 50+ yard touchdowns by a rookie – 5 (tied with Randy Moss)
- Most receptions by a rookie running back – 91
- Most rushing yards in an NFL season (regular and postseason) – 2,504 yards
- Most scrimmage yards in an NFL season (regular and postseason) – 2,857 yards
Giants Franchise Records
- Most rushing touchdowns in a season by a rookie – 11
- Most rushing yards in a season by a rookie – 1,307
- Most total touchdowns in a season by a rookie – 15
- First Giants' running back to rush for 1,000 yards in each of first two seasons
Eagles Franchise Records
- Most rushing yards in a season – 2,005 (2024)
- Most 100 yard rushing games in a season – 12 (2024)
- First player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season (2024)
- Most rushing yards in a single game – 255 vs. Los Angeles Rams on November 24, 2024
- Most total yards from scrimmage in a single game – 302 vs. Los Angeles Rams on November 24, 2024
- Most rushing yards in a playoff game – 205 vs. Los Angeles Rams on January 19, 2025
Personal Life
On February 2, 2025, Barkley announced his engagement to Anna Congdon, his college sweetheart. The couple have two children. They live in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Barkley is a Christian.
In 2018, the Pennsylvania General Assembly voted to make March 14 a state holiday known as "Saquon Barkley Day." Barkley and his family participated in a parade through his hometown of Coplay, Pennsylvania, that included the Whitehall High School marching band and children from the league where Barkley played youth football.
In 2025, Barkley starred in a Super Bowl commercial for the financial technology company Ramp, in which he is an investor. He is also an investor in several other startup companies, among them Anduril Industries.
In June 2025, Barkley was revealed as the cover athlete for Madden 26, becoming the second Eagle after Donovan McNabb for Madden 06 to grace the cover.
In August 2025, Barkley was invited to join a special council focused on sports and fitness but chose not to.
See also
In Spanish: Saquon Barkley para niños
- List of National Football League records (individual)
- List of New York Giants first-round draft picks
