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 2024 | |||||||||||||
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Saquon Barkley is an American professional football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). He was born on February 9, 1997. Barkley 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 college player. He finished fourth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. He also won several national and Big Ten Conference awards. During his college career, Barkley set Penn State 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 many NFL and team records. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and played in the 2018 Pro Bowl. After the 2023 season, Barkley joined the Eagles. In his first season with them, he broke many team records. He rushed for over 2,000 yards and helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LIX. He was also named the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. During the Super Bowl win, Barkley broke the record for most rushing yards in one season.
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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. They were looking for a safer place to live. They later moved to Allentown and then to Coplay, Pennsylvania.
High School Achievements
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. As a senior, he had 1,856 yards and 31 touchdowns. He was considered a top football player. He first planned to go to Rutgers but then chose Penn State.
In 2014, Barkley won the Mr. Pennsylvania Football award. This award goes to the best high school football player in the state.
Other Sports in High School
Besides football, Barkley also played basketball and competed in track and field. 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.
On September 10, 2021, Whitehall High School retired Barkley's jersey number (#21). This is a special honor. The school also retired the jerseys of two other NFL players, Matt Millen and Dan Koppen.
College Football Career
Saquon Barkley played college football at Penn State. He quickly became a star player.
Freshman Year Success (2015)
As a freshman in 2015, Barkley played right away. In his second game, he rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. In his third game, he had 195 yards and two touchdowns. Even after missing two games due to injury, he rushed for 194 yards against top-ranked Ohio State. He finished his freshman year with 1,076 rushing yards. He was named second-team All-Big Ten.
Sophomore Year Highlights (2016)
In 2016, Barkley continued to shine. In a game against Pitt, he scored five touchdowns. He had his first 200-yard rushing game against Maryland. Against Purdue, he rushed for a career-high 207 yards. He also had 70 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
After the regular season, Barkley was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the Ameche–Dayne Running Back of the Year award. In the Big Ten Championship, he helped Penn State come back from a big deficit to win 38–31. In the 2017 Rose Bowl, he rushed for 194 yards and scored a 79-yard touchdown. By the end of his sophomore year, Barkley had set Penn State records for most rushing yards by a freshman (1,076) and a sophomore (1,496).
Junior Year and Leaving for the NFL (2017)
In the 2017 season, Barkley started strong. In the first game, he ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns. 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.
Later that season, he returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Indiana. He also threw a 16-yard pass for a touchdown. This made him the first player in Big Ten history to have a return and passing touchdown in the same game. In his final college game, the 2017 Fiesta Bowl, Barkley rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Penn State won 35–28. After this game, Barkley decided to enter the 2018 NFL draft early.
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 Records
Barkley earned many awards and set records in college:
- Fiesta Bowl champion (2017)
- Six-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (2016, 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)
His Penn State records include:
- 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, experts believed Barkley would be a top pick. Many thought he was a "once in a lifetime talent." At the NFL Combine, he performed very well. He ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and did 29 bench presses.
New York Giants (2018–2023)
The New York Giants picked Barkley second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract worth $31.2 million.
Rookie Season (2018)
Barkley scored his first NFL touchdown, a 68-yard run, in his first game. He rushed for 106 yards in that game. 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 running back. In Week 11, he rushed for a career-high 142 yards and three touchdowns. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Barkley 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. He was chosen for the 2019 Pro Bowl. After his amazing rookie season, Barkley won many awards. These included Pepsi Rookie of the Year and AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Second Season (2019)
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In 2019, Barkley was ranked among the NFL's top 100 players. His teammates chose him as one of the team captains. In Week 1, he rushed for 120 yards. In Week 2, he had 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. He missed some games due to an ankle injury.
In Week 16, Barkley had a career-high 189 rushing yards. He also had 90 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award again. He became the only Giants running back to have 1,000 rushing yards in his first two seasons.
Injuries and Return (2020–2023)
In Week 2 of the 2020 season, Barkley suffered a serious knee injury. This ended his season early. He worked hard to recover.
In 2021, Barkley played in 13 games. He had 593 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In 2022, he had a great comeback season. In Week 1, he rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. He finished the 2022 season with 1,312 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl again.
In 2023, the Giants placed a "franchise tag" on Barkley. This meant they could keep him for another year. He signed the tag after some changes to his contract. He finished the 2023 season with 962 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Philadelphia Eagles (2024–Present)
On March 13, 2024, Barkley signed a three-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He said he was "fed up" with negotiations with the Giants.
Record-Breaking Season (2024)
On September 6, 2024, Barkley made his Eagles debut. He rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving). He was the first Eagles player to score three touchdowns in their debut since 2004. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
In Week 3, Barkley rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns. In Week 7, he returned to play against his former team, the Giants. He rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown. He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time that season.
In Week 9, Barkley had 159 rushing yards and 199 total yards. He made a highlight play by hurdling over a defender. He won NFC Offensive Player of the Week again. In Week 11, he had 198 total yards and two rushing touchdowns. The next week, against the Los Angeles Rams, Barkley had an incredible game. He rushed for 255 yards and 302 total yards, scoring multiple long touchdowns. This was the ninth-most rushing yards in a single NFL game and an Eagles team record. He earned his fourth NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
In Week 13, Barkley rushed for over 100 yards for the third straight game. A week later, he broke the Eagles' single-season rushing yards record. In Week 17, Barkley ran for 167 yards and crossed the 2,000-yard mark for the season. He became only the ninth running back in NFL history to do this. He finished the season leading the league with 2,283 yards from scrimmage. He also had 15 touchdowns. He was named a First-team All-Pro and won the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Super Bowl Champion (2024 Playoffs)
In the 2024 playoffs, Barkley continued his strong play. In the Wild Card Round, he rushed for 119 yards. In the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, he had another huge game. He rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles won, advancing to the NFC Championship Game.
In the NFC Championship, Barkley ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns. The Eagles won 55–23, moving on to Super Bowl LIX. In the Super Bowl, which was on his 28th birthday, Barkley had 57 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards. The Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40–22, giving Barkley 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).
Contract Extension (2025)
On March 4, 2025, Barkley signed a new contract with the Eagles. This deal made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year | |
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| 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 |
| 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 Stats
| 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 |
| Career | 6 | 6 | 109 | 613 | 5.6 | 78 | 7 | 20 | 152 | 7.6 | 24 | 0 | 129 | 5.9 | 765 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
NFL Awards and Records
Saquon Barkley has achieved many honors and set several records in the NFL:
- 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 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
- Second 2,000+ yard rusher to win Super Bowl in same season (after Terrell Davis in 1998)
Giants Team 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 Team 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 (November 24, 2024)
- Most total yards from scrimmage in a single game: 302 vs. Los Angeles Rams (November 24, 2024)
- Most rushing yards in a playoff game: 205 vs. Los Angeles Rams (January 19, 2025)
Personal Life
Barkley lives in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He has two children and is engaged to Anna Congdon, whom he met at Penn State. He is a Christian.
In 2018, the Pennsylvania General Assembly made March 14 a state holiday called "Saquon Barkley Day." Barkley and his family celebrated with a parade in his hometown of Coplay, Pennsylvania.
In 2025, Barkley was featured in a Super Bowl commercial for the financial company Ramp. He is also an investor in the company. In June 2025, Barkley was announced as the cover athlete for Madden 26, a popular football video game.
See also
In Spanish: Saquon Barkley para niños
- List of National Football League records (individual)
- List of New York Giants first-round draft picks
