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Saquon Barkley

Barkley in 2024

No. 26 – Philadelphia Eagles

Position:

Running back

Personal information

Born:

February 9, 1997 (age 28)
The Bronx, New York, U.S.

Height:

6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Weight:

232 lb (105 kg)

Career information

High school:

Whitehall (Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania)

College:

Penn State (2015–2017)

NFL Draft:

2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2

Career history

New York Giants (2018)
Philadelphia Eagles (2024–present)

Roster status:

Active

Career highlights and awards

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2018)
First-team All-Pro (2024)
3× Pro Bowl (2018, 2022, 2024)
NFL rushing yards leader (2024)
Bert Bell Award (2024)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2018)
Paul Hornung Award (2017)
Consensus All-American (2017)
Second-team All-American (2016)
2× Big Ten Most Valuable Player (2016, 2017)
2× Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017)
2× Big Ten Running Back of the Year (2016, 2017)
Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year (2017)
2× First-team All-Big Ten (2016, 2017)
Second-team All-Big Ten (2015)

NFL record

Most receptions by a running back in a rookie season: 91

Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024

Rushing yards:	7,216
Rushing average:	4.7
Rushing touchdowns:	48
Receptions:	321
Receiving yards:	2,378
Receiving touchdowns:	14

Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley (SAY-kwon; born February 9, 1997) is an American professional football player. He is a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He set many school records during his three years there.

In 2017, Barkley was a top player in college football. He received many national and Big Ten Conference awards. During his time at Penn State, he set records for:

Most all-purpose career yards (5,538)
Most career rushing touchdowns (43)
Most career receiving yards by a running back (1,157)
Most rushing yards by a freshman and sophomore
Most total yards in a single game

The New York Giants picked Barkley second overall in the 2018 NFL draft. He quickly set several NFL and team records. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the 2018 Pro Bowl. After dealing with injuries in 2020, he returned to the Pro Bowl in 2022. In 2024, Barkley joined the Eagles. He set many team records and rushed for over 2,000 yards in his first season with them. He also helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl LIX.

Early Life and High School Football

Saquon Barkley was born in The Bronx, New York. His father, Alibay Barkley, was a boxer. Saquon has three brothers and two sisters. His great uncle, Iran Barkley, was a famous boxing champion.

In 2001, his family moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, looking for a safer place to live. They later moved to Allentown and then to Coplay, Pennsylvania.

Barkley went to Whitehall High School. This school is known for producing many professional athletes. In high school, Barkley ran for 3,646 yards and scored 63 touchdowns. In his senior year alone, he had 1,856 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns.

He was a highly-rated recruit and chose to play college football at Penn State. He had first planned to go to Rutgers, but changed his mind. In 2014, Barkley won the Mr. Pennsylvania Football award.

Besides football, Barkley also played basketball and did track and field at Whitehall. In 2015, he won gold medals in the 100-meter dash and long jump. He also set a school record in the 100-meter dash.

Many top colleges offered Barkley football scholarships. He chose Penn State.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	40^‡	Commit date
Saquon Barkley RB	Coplay, Pennsylvania	Whitehall HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	233 lb (106 kg)	4.66	Feb 19, 2014
Saquon Barkley RB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 80
Overall recruiting rankings:
‡ Refers to 40 yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

On September 10, 2021, Whitehall High School retired Barkley's jersey number (#21). This honor was also given to two other NFL players from the school: Matt Millen and Dan Koppen.

College Career at Penn State

Freshman Year: A Strong Start

At Penn State, Barkley played right away as a freshman in 2015. In his second game, he rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. In his third game, he had 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Even though he missed two games due to injury, Barkley rushed for 1,076 yards in his freshman year. He earned praise and was named second-team All-Big Ten.

Sophomore Year: Breaking Records

Barkley with Penn State against Ohio State in 2017

In 2016, his sophomore year, Barkley continued to shine. In a game against Pitt, he scored five touchdowns. Later, against Minnesota, his 25-yard touchdown run in overtime secured a win.

He had his first 200-yard rushing game against Maryland. He also rushed for 207 yards and had 70 receiving yards against Purdue.

Barkley was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He helped Penn State win the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin. In the 2017 Rose Bowl, he rushed for 194 yards and scored a 79-yard touchdown.

By the end of his sophomore year, Barkley 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, Barkley started strong. He ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns against Akron.

Against Iowa, he set a school record with 358 all-purpose yards. This included 211 rushing yards, 94 receiving yards, and 53 kick return yards. He was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week again.

Barkley also made history by returning an opening kickoff for a touchdown and throwing a pass for a touchdown in the same game. This made him the first player in Big Ten history to do so. In his final college game, the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, he rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Penn State won the game.

After the Fiesta Bowl, Barkley decided to leave Penn State early to enter the 2018 NFL draft.

College Statistics

Penn State Nittany Lions
Season	Games		Rushing				Receiving				Kick returns
Season	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
Two-time Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (2017)
Paul Hornung Award, 2017
Consensus All-American, 2017
Two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017)
Two-time Big Ten Running Back of the Year (2016, 2017)
Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, 2017
Big Ten champion, 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 Career in the NFL

Joining the NFL: The Draft

Barkley during New York Giants training camp in 2018

Before the 2018 NFL draft, many experts thought Barkley would be a top pick. Some even thought he could be the second player chosen overall. This would be the highest a running back had been drafted since 2006.

At the NFL Combine, Barkley showed off his skills. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. He also did 29 bench presses, tying for the most among running backs.

Pre-draft measurables
Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand size	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Vertical jump	Bench press
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	233 lb (106 kg)	31+3⁄8 in (0.80 m)	9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m)	4.40 s	1.54 s	2.57 s	4.24 s	41 in (1.04 m)	29 reps
All values from NFL Combine.

New York Giants: Rookie Sensation

Barkley with the New York Giants in 2018

The New York Giants picked Barkley with the second overall selection in the 2018 draft. He signed a four-year contract worth $31.2 million.

In his first NFL game, Barkley scored a 68-yard touchdown run. He rushed for 106 yards in total. The next week, he set a Giants' record with 14 catches in one game. He also tied an NFL record for most catches by a rookie in a game.

Throughout his rookie season, Barkley had many impressive games. He rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also had 170 yards and a 78-yard touchdown against the Washington Redskins. He became the first Giants rookie to run for over 1,000 yards in a season. He also set a team rookie record with 15 touchdowns.

Barkley was chosen for the 2019 Pro Bowl. He won several awards, including:

Pepsi Rookie of the Year
FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year
AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
Named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team

Giants: Second Season and Injuries

Barkley (#26 in center) with other Giants' team captains in 2019

In his second season (2019), Barkley was named one of the Giants' team captains. This is a rare honor for a player so early in their career.

He started the season strong with 120 rushing yards in Week 1. In Week 3, he suffered a serious ankle injury. He returned in Week 7. In Week 16, Barkley had a career-high 189 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He finished his second season as the only Giants running back to have 1,000 rushing yards in his first two years.

In Week 2 of the 2020 season, Barkley suffered a major knee injury. This injury ended his season early.

Barkley with the Giants against the Atlanta Falcons in 2021

The Giants picked up the option for Barkley's fifth year on his contract in 2021. He played in 13 games that season, rushing for 593 yards and two touchdowns.

In 2022, Barkley had a great comeback season. In Week 1, he rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with 1,312 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl again. In the playoffs, he had 109 yards and two touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings.

In 2023, the Giants placed a "franchise tag" on Barkley, meaning they kept him for another year. He rushed for 962 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.

Philadelphia Eagles: A New Chapter

On March 13, 2024, Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

2024 Season: Record-Breaking Performance

Barkley made an amazing debut with the Eagles on September 6, 2024. He rushed for 109 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns, plus one receiving touchdown. He was the first Eagles player since 2004 to score three touchdowns in their first game. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

He continued to play well, with 147 yards and two touchdowns against the Saints. In Week 7, he returned to play against his former team, the Giants. He rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown in a big win. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week again.

In Week 9, Barkley had 159 rushing yards and 199 total yards, scoring two touchdowns. He earned his third NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. The next week, he had 198 total yards and two touchdowns.

In Week 12, Barkley had a historic game against the Los Angeles Rams. He rushed for 255 yards and had 302 total yards, including multiple long touchdowns. His 255 rushing yards were the most in Eagles history and the ninth-most in NFL history for a single game. He earned his fourth NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

In Week 14, Barkley broke the Eagles' single-season rushing yards record. In Week 17, he reached 2,000 rushing yards for the season, becoming only the ninth player in NFL history to do so. The Eagles decided to rest him for the final game, so he didn't get a chance to break the all-time single-season rushing record.

In the playoffs, Barkley continued his strong play. He rushed for 119 yards against the Green Bay Packers. Against the Los Angeles Rams, he had 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns. In the NFC Championship game against the Commanders, he ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Eagles reach Super Bowl LIX.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving					Scrimmage				Fumbles
Year	Team	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
Career		90	90	1,546	7,216	4.7	78	48	321	2,378	7.4	65	14	1,867	5.1	9,594	62	8	4

Postseason

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving					Scrimmage				Fumbles
Year	Team	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	3	3	66	442	6.7	78	5	7	35	5.0	16	0	73	6.5	477	5	0	0
Career		5	5	84	556	6.6	78	7	14	112	8.0	24	0	98	6.8	668	7	0	0

Awards and Honors

3× Pro Bowl – 2018, 2022, 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 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
9th player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season

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
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

Saquon Barkley has two children with his fiancée, Anna Congdon. They met when they were both at Penn State.

In 2018, the state of Pennsylvania made March 14 a special day called "Saquon Barkley Day." Barkley and his family celebrated with a parade in his hometown of Coplay, Pennsylvania. The parade included the Whitehall High School marching band.

Barkley is a Christian.